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Meaning of Higher Education

Study beyond the level of secondary education. Institutions of higher education include not only colleges and universities but also professional schools in such fields as law, theology, medicine, business, music, and art. They also include teacher-training schools, community colleges, and institutes of technology. At the end of a prescribed course of study, a degree, diploma, or certificate is awarded. Continuing education

Benefits of Higher Education

Aid in Growth and Development

In school, students very rarely get to experience life. When the students get enrolled in college, they are first of all away from their families, so this makes them independent, and thus, they learn how to be on their own. During the college years, if the students have the right attitude, i.e., they really want to learn and study, the scope for it is unlimited. They can increase their knowledge by reading lots of books or by attending the lectures given by the experts in the fields. The college life is such that it teaches the necessary life lessons to a lot many students. Students get the opportunity to explore a lot of things and basically 'find' themselves, in true sense of the word, in these four years of college.

Key to a Better Life

With globalization taking place, the job market has become even more competitive. Now, a person not only has to compete for a job with the people from his own community or country but also with the people who immigrate from other countries. So what is it that will distinguish you from all your competitors? Of course it is your additional skills, knowledge and a college degree. It is a well-known fact that people who have a higher degree tend to earn more. According to a research done by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average earnings become high and the level of unemployment falls, with each education level acquired. Also, people with higher education are more likely to get jobs which give health as well as pension benefits to the individual, in his or her old age.

The Role of Higher Education in Society

Ideal Citizens

People who are well educated and well paid, are more likely to live fulfilled lives. They make better partners, parents and employees. They believe in following the societal norms and seldom indulge in anti-social behavior. Educated people are more tolerant of other people, and thus, help in keeping the society peaceful. Higher standards of living, peace, good family life - all these things help in strengthening the country as a whole.

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Social Work

Studies have shown that people who have a higher degree, which translates into a good satisfied life, are more likely to do social work and volunteering. Such behavior does benefit the society as a whole, as the underprivileged get taken care of too.

The benefits of higher education can be judged from the way it benefits a person financially, emotionally, socially, as well as intellectually. Funding a college education is no more a task too, what with the various scholarships offered by the federal government, various local community clubs and even by the corporate. So go ahead and grab the opportunity to turn your life around by getting higher education.

Higher Education in India

India's higher education system is the third largest in the world, after China and the United States.[38] The main governing body at the tertiary level is the University Grants Commission (India), which enforces its standards, advises the government, and helps coordinate between the centre and the state.[39] Accreditation for higher learning is overseen by 12 autonomous institutions established by the University Grants Commission.[40]

As of 2009, India has 20 central universities, 215 state universities, 100 deemed universities, 5 institutions established and functioning under the State Act, and 33 institutes which are of national importance.[39] Other institutions include 16000 colleges, including 1800 exclusive women's colleges, functioning under these universities and institutions. [39] The emphasis in the tertiary level of education lies on science and technology.[41] Indian educational institutions by 2004 consisted of a large number of technology institutes.[42] Distance learning is also a feature of the Indian higher education system.[42]

Some institutions of India, such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), have been globally acclaimed for their standard of undergraduate education in engineering . [42] The IITs enroll about 10,000 students annually and the alumni have contributed to both the growth of the private

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sector and the public sectors of India.[43] However the IIT's have not had significant impact on fundamental scientific research and innovation. Several other institutes of fundamental research such as the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science(IACS), Indian Institute of Science IISC), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Harishchandra Research Institute (HRI), are acclaimed for their standard of research in basic sciences and mathematics. However, India has failed to produce world class universities both in the private sector or the public sector.[44]

Besides top rated universities which provide highly competitive world class education to their pupils, India is also home to many universities which have been founded with the sole objective of making easy money. Regulatory authorities like UGC and AICTE have been trying very hard to extirpate the menace of private universities which are running courses without any affiliation or recognition. Indian Government has failed to check on these education shops, which are run by big businessmen & politicians. Many private colleges and universities do not fulfill the required criterion by the Government and central bodies ( UGC, AICTE, MCI, BCI etc.) and take students for a ride. For example, many institutions in India continue to run unaccredited courses as there is no legislation strong enough to ensure legal action against them. Quality assurance mechanism has failed to stop misrepresentations and malpractices in higher education. At the same time regulatory bodies have been accused of corruption, specifically in the case of deemed-universities.[45] In this context of lack of solid quality assurance mechanism, institutions need to step-up and set higher standards of self-regulation.[46]

Government of India is aware of the plight of higher education sector and has been trying to bring reforms, however, 15 bills are still awaiting discussion and approval in the Parliament. [47]

One of the most talked about bill is Foreign Universities Bill, which is supposed to facilitate entry of foreign universities to establish campuses in India. The bill is still under discussion and even if it gets passed, its feasibility and effectiveness is questionable as it misses the context, diversity and segment of international foreign institutions interested in India.[48] One of the approaches to make internationalization of Indian higher education effective is to develop a coherent and comprehensive policy which aims at infusing excellence, bringing institutional diversity and aids in capacity building.[49]

Three Indian universities were listed in the Times Higher Education list of the world’s top 200 universities — Indian Institutes of Technology, Indian Institutes of Management, and Jawaharlal Nehru University in 2005 and 2006.[50] Six Indian Institutes of Technology and the Birla Institute of Technology and Science – Pilani were listed among the top 20 science and technology schools in Asia by Asiaweek.[51] The Indian School of Business situated in Hyderabad was ranked number 12 in global MBA rankings by the Financial Times of London in 2010[52] while the All India Institute of Medical Sciences has been recognized as a global leader in medical research and treatment.

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Technical education

Institute Main Building, IIT Kharagpur

The number of graduates coming out of technical colleges increased to over 700,000 in 2011 from 550,000 in FY 2010.However, 75% of technical graduates and more than 85% of general graduates are unemployable by India's high-growth global industries, including information technology and call centers.[56]

From the first Five Year Plan onwards India's emphasis was to develop a pool of scientifically inclined manpower.[57] India's National Policy on Education (NPE) provisioned for an apex body for regulation and development of higher technical education, which came into being as the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) in 1987 through an act of the Indian parliament.[58] At the Central(federal) level, the Indian Institutes of Technology,the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, the National Institutes of Technology and the Indian Institutes of Information Technology, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology are deemed of national importance.

The Indian Institutes of Technology are among the nation's premier education facilities.[58] Since 2002, Several Regional Engineering Colleges(RECs) have been converted into National Institutes of Technology giving them Institutes of National Importance status.

The Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology : The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MOP&NG), Government of India set up the institute at Jais, Rae Bareli district, Uttar Pradesh through an Act of Parliament. RGIPT has been accorded "Institute of National Importance” along the lines of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and Indian Institute of Management (IIM). With the status of a Deemed University, the institute awards degrees in its own right.

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The UGC has inter-university centres at a number of locations throughout India to promote common research, e.g. the Nuclear Science Centre at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.[59] Besides there are some British established colleges such as Harcourt Butler Technological Institute situated in Kanpur and King George Medical University situated in Lucknow which are important center of higher education.

In addition to above institutes, efforts towards the enhancement of technical education are supplemented by a number of recognized Professional Engineering Societies such as

1. Institution of Engineers (India)2. Institution of Chemical Engineering (India)3. Institution of Electronics and Tele-Communication Engineers (India)4. Indian Institute of Metals5. Institution of Industrial Engineers (India)6. Institute of Town Planners (India)7. Indian Institute of Architects

that conduct Engineering/Technical Examinations at different levels(Degree and diploma) for working professionals desirous of improving their technical qualifications.

Open and Distance Learning

At higher education level, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) co-ordinates distance learning. It has a cumulative enrolment of about 15 lakhs, serviced through 53 regional centres and 1,400 study centres with 25,000 counsellors. The Distance Education Council (DEC), an authority of IGNOU is co-coordinating 13 State Open Universities and 119 institutions of correspondence courses in conventional universities. While distance education institutions have expanded at a very rapid rate, but most of these institutions need an up gradation in their standards and performance. There is a large proliferation of courses covered by distance mode without adequate infrastructure, both human and physical. There is a strong need to correct these imbalances

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Key Challenges facing the Higher Education Sector in India

Differences that exist between the 'State' universities and 'Central' universities:

The distinction is a vestige of the colonial past when different provinces were acquired as the British expanded its empire in India. For example, the first universities were established in 1857 in the three provinces - Calcutta, Madras and Bombay - where the British exercised their control. As the empire grew and new provinces were brought under British India, new universities kept being added to the fold and governance of these universities were a responsibility of the provincial governments.

The first government of independent India chose to keep this provincial structure largely intact and thus universities in India came to be mainly under the jurisdiction of state (provincial) governments rather than be under the control of government that is at the centre. The federal structure of the government of India in which some aspects of governance is delegated to different states (or provinces) meant that this structure was a feasible one but the real question is whether it was desirable?

It is clear that policy makers themselves felt the need for a class of universities where control is exercised at the central rather than at the provincial level, hence the establishment of several 'central' universities was undertaken. Over these years, the Central universities in India relative to State universities, have been better endowed financially, have enjoyed better governance and have taken the lead in research and development activities. But as the State universities vastly outnumber their Central counterparts, issues of poor governance and narrow outlook that arises out of provinciality remains key issues for the university sector in India.

The case of National Law Universities is the best example to explain this state-central disparity. National Law Universities are the latest lot of Best-in-Field Universities established by government as the centers of excellence in legal education. But different from IITs, and IIMs, NLUs are not established through an act of Parliament. Rather all the eleven NLUs have been established by the legislations of their respective establishing state assemblies. As another article on Gyancentral by this author has also pointed out, such an approach has not been able to bring NLUs at par with IITs and IIMs in terms of finances, autonomy and industry exposure. This is inspite of the fact that, each NLU produces more student level researches than all the IITs would together be contributing. Need of the hour is to bring such universities under a common central legislation with a common name. This shall fulfil the very purpose of establishing such Institutes of Excellence.

Another key challenge: The issue of Autonomy of Universities:

The lack of autonomy for universities and how that has led to falling standards within the higher education sector has been discussed widely. The system has been exclusively under the

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government control since it inception in British India. Moreover, the situation got more complex after independence as state governments' agenda relating to university operations often differed to that of the central government thus contributing to the conflicting tensions that persists within the sector. The governance of State universities is carried out through a separation of duties between state and central government. While University Grants Commission (UGC) which is a central body is responsible for grants-in-aid from public funds to Central and State universities (including Deemed universities) and also for maintenance of standards, the states are in charge of operations of the State universities including appointment of administrative and academic staff, setting up of curriculum, direction of R&D activities and interactions with industry.

One defining characteristic of the State universities in India is the paucity of research output in these institutions (universities in general contribute around only 4% of total R&D spending in India). From the perspective of state government there is little incentive for using the public funds received from UGC for research purposes as it is difficult to link such spending to direct betterment of provinces though the nation as a whole would benefit from the investment through spillover effect; far better measurements of performance for State universities therefore are the number of students being taught, examined, and graduated. For this reason, there is a strong case for research activities to be channeled and directed at the central level rather than at the provinces.

Financial challenges facing academia:

Despite an impressive economic growth that India has registered in the last two decades, it still remains largely an agrarian economy with fifty percent of the work force employed in the agricultural sector. Adult literacy rate is only at sixty five percent (2011 Census puts it at an increased 74%) and gross enrolment ratio in higher education stands at thirteen percent, much below China's twenty five percent (an economy that is comparable to India in terms of population). India's per capita income in 2009 stood at US$ 1,120 compared to Britain's US$ 35,165 and USA's US$ 46,436. It is not feasible for India to make massive state investments in research and development that produced research led universities in the west such as MIT, University of California, Berkeley in the US or University of Cambridge in Britain, whose intellectual properties-a consequence of such investments-attracted industry to their doorsteps.

ConclusionObservations made above are not something new being discussed in this country. A lot of commissions and committees appointed by the government for suggesting reforms have also pinned upon same obstacles in the Indian Higher Education. They have also advocated for a system which rises above the vestiges of British legacy. A system which takes into account an ever growing innovation demand in the country is being asked for. But there has been sheer dearth of courage and a political will. The way attempts have been made to reform secondary level education in schools, higher education needs to be reformed too. It is high time that universities cater to the growing demand of students or else this human resource boon will soon prove to be population bane for the economy.

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Privatization of Higher Education in India

Higher education in India today is ridden with many and varied problems including broadening of access, ensuring equity, and the financial crunch. India has quite a large system of higher education with 250 universities, over 10,500 colleges and nearly 55 lakhs of students being taught by over 3 lakhs of teachers. And yet the proportion of the university and college going student population in the relevant age group of 16-23 is dismal 6 per cent. This is quite low even when compared with developing countries, the figure being 20 per cent for both Egypt and Thailand, and 16 per cent for Mexico.

In the developed countries, however, access to higher education is to the tune of 40 per cent and more. Thus, in spite of a general expansion of higher education in India, inadequate access continues to cause concern. Further, while enrolment of women and those belonging to SC/ST groups and other backward communities has improved, they are still very much under represented.

Providing increased access to education, meeting the challenge of equity and improving the quality of education entails large investment. To solve the problem of resource crunch, a suggested way is exploring additional avenues of generating systems own resources instead of being fully dependent on the state exchequer. It is imperative here that the higher education system has to seek participation both of the Government as well as private and voluntary bodies. Some amount of private funding thus appears inevitable for making up the deficit caused by inadequate state funding.

The overall investment in education as a proportion of the gross domestic product (GDP) is still below the norm of 6 per cent as stated in the National Policy on Education. Since provision of free and compulsory education at the elementary stage is a Constitutional commitment, budgetary allocation for this sector of education is continuously on increase. This has affected the resource allocation to

universities and most higher education institutions all over the country, which are facing acute financial crisis. While the universities are at pain in persuading the Government for increased budgetary allocations, some of them have simultaneously taken measures for generating funds of their own.

It is high time the university system resorted to long-term resource planning instead of taking the state support for granted. Each university will have to identify avenues of resource generation, internal as well as external, depending upon the nature of its programme offerings and the locale. The internal measures, amongst other things, may include proper utilization of funds, general economy in expenditures, pooling and sharing of departmental and institutional resources and most importantly, rationalization of fee structure. As for the external resources, the important avenues include donations from alumni, philanthropists and others, consultancy, university-industry interaction, etc.

In most institutions of higher education, at present, the tuition fees contribute very little towards earnings while the recurring expenditure on each student is much higher. The Swami Nathan panel set up by the UGC has suggested building up a reservoir of funds by collecting educational from industries and other user organizations. Setting up of an Educational Development Bank of India initially with shares of ? 1000 crore each by the State Governments,

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Central Government and international financial agencies has also been suggested. Raising money through consultancy work or job assignment by institutions to industries or other professional organizations is yet another avenue being profusely recommended.

The private initiative in education, especially higher education is not altogether new to India. Some of the leading universities namely, the Banaras Hindu University and the Aligarh Muslim University came up with the efforts of certain dedicated individuals and financial support of the community at large. Again, a large number of educational institutions in the country especially those concerned with general and professional higher education have been established on private and voluntary initiative with or without financial subsidy from the Government.

A few private institutions of higher education have been given virtual university status by being recognized as 'Deemed Universities'. A few universities like Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University in Delhi have been created consisting of only affiliated private self-financing colleges. A few private institutions like International Business Schools and Indian Institute of Information Technology are allowed to operate virtually as universities. There has also been a general trend towards liberalization and opening of education sector to private initiative especially in the southern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Thus, the private higher education system constitutes more than 50 per cent of the higher education sector. Hence, what is required is not restriction but more growth so that with competition, quality will automatically improve. Perhaps a rating agency, which could provide a standard procedure for ranking of institutions of higher learning based on predetermined criteria, could instill students with greater confidence in their choices.

The road ahead for India is directly linked to creation of quality higher education institutions in a big way to meet the challenge of the knowledge hub, which India is fast becoming. Since the Government resources for higher education are simply not enough, recourse to quality private higher education, both university and non-university is essential. India needs to have a proactive demand based policy towards private higher education including foreign institutions/universities desirous of setting up campus in India or entering into joint-ventures. The central and state Governments could offer tax concessions/fiscal incentives for setting up campuses.

Since private institutions are already using a higher fee structure, there has arisen a need for financing of higher education for students, especially those from low income households. Like in the United States, it has become necessary to evolve a guarantee system, where students from low income households are eligible for a student loan without parental security or guarantee so that there is no discrimination due to the financial background of the student. Subsidization of the interest rate for students may be based on the student's and student's family income. An innovative financial mechanism needs to be evolved incorporating some of the salient features of the systems existing in the UK and USA.

In the context of the current changing social and economic fabric of the country, it appears almost certain to go in for private funding of education. The recent paradigm shift in Indian economic and political philosophy has led to the demand of private universities so as to meet the challenge of contemplated open economy and the demand for qualitative human resources and high level of R & D.

However, the Partial privatization calls for caution against, amongst others things, the resultant commercialization of education, obstacles in merit based admissions, deterioration in academic

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standards, encroachment in institutions and autonomy, service conditions of teachers, and education becoming subservient to market logic advanced by the private sector in the country.

Higher education in Kota

Kota has three major universities:

Rajasthan Technical University University of Kota Vardhman Mahaveer Open University;

It also has one government medical college, one private dental collage, six engineering colleges, 15 general colleges, a number of MBA Institutes, and a medical college.

The Government College of Kota is the largest government-run college in the state of Rajasthan under University of Kota.

In the 2011 general budget Rajasthan government has announced an Indian Institute of Information Technology(IIIT) in lieu of IIT which was snatched from Kota.

Institutes and Universities in Kota provides higher education and research options to the students of Kota. These Kota institutes and universities grant academic and professional degrees, diplomas and certificates at various levels in a variety of subjects. Each of these institutes and universities of Kota are differently organized and function differently. These institutes and universities of Kota are free to review their financial distribution and fund allocation. The institutes and universities in Kota are also responsible for incorporation and amendment of course and course structure, independently, as and when required.

The universities of Kota have various options open to choose from but usually provide both tertiary as well as quaternary education. They offer quality education in various departments under the higher education boards of the government. Nearly all of them have a board of trustees, chancellor or rector, a president, vice-president, vice-rector or vice-chancellor, and deans of various divisions. Apart from the state university in Kota, there are open universities that provide a more flexible approach to education. These universities provide academic as well as professional courses. These universities are equipped with elaborate libraries, research laboratories, and sports center and students union.

Most of the professional institutes of Kota enjoy autonomy and are generally funded privately. Their degrees are affiliated by recognized board of studies and generally enjoy a far more independence from state policies. These institutes of Kota provide a host of advanced facilities to support the education with practical knowledge and often tie up with various employers for campus recruitment.

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Colleges in kota

Kota city has a number of colleges, which provide a great platform for higher education in the field of engineering, arts and social science, law, commerce, medical science, journalism etc. Here is complete and updated information on various colleges in Kota city.

Some Famous Colleges are:_

Aklank Girls PG College

Engineering College Kota

Government Girls College Baran

Government Medical College Kota

JDB Govt Girls PG College

RN Modi Engineering College

Daswani Dental College & Research Centre

Government Commerce College Kota

SRD Modi College for Women

Institute of Business and Biosciences

Om Kothari Institute of Management & Research

Kota University

University of Kota is one of the developing universities in the state of Rajasthan established in the recent past. The university, set up in 2003, has around 130 affiliated colleges. It lays stress on offering job oriented education and meets the needs of technological developments. Kota University endeavors to inculcate in young minds by readying them for challenges of the times.

 

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Educational Streams

Kota university conducts professional courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. A large number of affiliated colleges conduct the courses under the guidelines of the Kota University. Along with the conventional academic courses, the university recognizes the importance of modern age professional courses. 

Education is also offered in job-oriented new age subjects like Computer Applications, Information Technology, Biotechnology, and Bioinfo. In the coming years, Kota university is set to introduce courses on Energy, Industry, Environment, Tourism, Journalism, Life Science, Computational Mathematics etc.

 

History

Since its inception, the University of Kota has been an important center of learning due to its excellence in providing education and training. On account of rich professional attitude of its faculty members and efficient infrastructure, Kota university has earned remarkable position in the history of higher learning institutions. 

Kota University has adopted all the best and possible strategies in delivering education to its learners with a concept of prosperity in the region and country as well. Plasticity in academic courses has been set to meet the desired goals of the time. Students are given opportunities to

enhance comprehension in their respective areas of study.

Faculties/Departments:

Arts Commerce & Management Education Law Science Social Science

Indra Prastha College of Management and Technology (ICMT)

Indra Prastha College of Management and Technology (ICMT) is a Premier B-School where Leaders are nurtured with managerial cum entrepreneurial skills to shape the destiny of organizations. ICMT has been accorded B++ grade (Business India 2008), rated as 14th Best in North-West region and 5th Best in Rajasthan State (GHRDC-CSR Survey 2008) amongst Best B-Schools of India. The institute is also a nodal centre All India Management Association (AIMA, New Delhi) and affiliated to AIMA-Centre for Management Education. Since its inception, ICMT

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has been offering quality management education with a human face through degree and post degree programs like BBA, BCA, PGDBEM and MBA (executive). ICMT has focused on quality and affordable education.

Maharishi Arvind International Institute of Technology, KotaMaharishi Arvind International Institute of Technology, Kota belongs to the Arvind Bharti Vidyalaya Samiti which come into existence in 1975 with the inspiration from the life and thoughts of the great thinker, philosopher, Yogi and saint Shri Aurbindo; for the upliftment of social service, cultural activities and prmotion of professional education.

MAIIT has set its goal to be a leader in providing quality education and training in Engineering & Management, to contribute to the ever expanding knowledge and skills in professional environment through scientific inquiry, applied research and innovation and play a vital role in socio- economic progress through technology providing about futuristic professional leaders.

COURSES:

B TECH :Electronics & Communication Information Technology Computer EngineeringElectronics & Electrical Engineering Civil EngineeringMBA - Master of Business AdministrationMCA - Master of Computer Applications

RN Modi Engineering College, KotaR. N. Modi Engineering College, Kota was founded in the year 2004 by Seth Ramjidas (SRD) Modi Vidya Niketan Society. To promote and establish Educational Institutions of excellence with main focus on building capabilities of the students with holistic development of their personality. To expose future engineers and scientist to the simulation scientific method for problem identification, modelling, simulation, and evalution.

COURSES:

BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING :B. Tech. Computer Science & EngineeringInformation Technology

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Electronics & Communication EngineeringCivil Engineering

Presidency College of Engineering

The Primary objectives of the institute are to provide the best education which will enable young countrymen, boys and girls, to build their career as professional managers, to equip them with latest concepts and upto date knowledge, to develop in them managerial skills and aptitudes, to instil business ethics and thus to roll out competent managers to perform superbly.Presidency College of Engineering (PCE), with dedication to its objectives, is going to produce more than 500 performance oriented engineers who are willing to place in high position in the best of the corporate and industry in the country and abroad.Presidency College of Engineering (PCE) - a part of Maharishi Arvind Group of Institutions have been promoted by the Arvind Bharti Vidyalaya Samiti, a non-profit organization, founded in 1975 in Jaipur with the inspiration from the teachings of the great yogi, thinker, freedom fighter and philosopher, Maharishi Aurobindo.

The organization is dedicated to promote professional and technical education in the state and is presently conducting various programs at post graduate and undergraduate levels from eight institutions. The programs are approved by the AICTE/ affiliated to the University of Rajasthan.

COURSES:

B TECH :

Computer Science and Engineering

Electronics Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Information Technology

Om Kothari Institute of Management & Research

Om Kothari Institute of Management & Research was established in 1995. It is managed and run by Om Kothari Foundation, which is a registered Society. Located in Kota (Rajasthan), the institute is one of the best B-Schools in India. Om Kothari Institute of Management & Research is approved by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), Government of India, New Delhi and affiliated to Rajasthan Technical University, Kota. Om Kothari Institute of Management & Research Kota imparts a postgraduate degree course - Master of Business Administration (MBA). The course is a two-year full time program, conducted as per the guidelines of AICTE. 

Affiliated to: Rajasthan Technical University

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Courses:

Undergraduate:BE

Post Graduate:

Master of Business Administration (MBA) full time/part time

Eligibility:The aspirants must have cleared graduation in any stream, with at least 50% marks, from any recognized University.

Admission Procedure:

To be admitted, the candidates must appear in RMAT (Rajasthan Management Aptitude Test).

Entrance Test:  RMAT

Facilities:

Placements Library Computer and internet facilities Auditorium Extracurricular activities

 

Modi Institute of Management Technology, Kota

It is an exclusive postgraduate professional education school. It operates many important PG courses of contemporary value, each course recognized by AICTE/UGC  and affiliated with Rajasthan Technical University, Kota. The Institute is committed to this endeavor. Over the years MIMT has earned the enviable reputation of being one of the finest techno-management institutes in Rajasthan. The environment at MIMT ensures high quality of learning. The institute imparts sound values to enable its students to become effective and good leaders. The infrastructure which is being constantly upgraded ensures a comfortable working environment. The library, which is the heart of any institution, gets the maximum priority. MIMT boasts of some of the finest in-house and visiting faculty.

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Facilities :-

Library Laboratories Computer Lab Common Room Canteen Sports & Games  

Placement Cell:-The training and placement function stands on priority in this institute.  Student's training needs are identified at the institute level and relevant functional organization is selected out from the list of friendly organization, to detail the student for extensive training.  Examination of project/training report and evaluation exercise after inter-action is carried out at the institute faculty level, to enable make SWOT analysis by the student at his own level.

Courses All Courses 

Master Of Business Administration

Category: Business Administration

Degree: MBA

Mode: Full Time

Medium: Campus

Duration: 2 Years 

M.B.A. - Stands for Master of Business Administration. Typically, an MBA is a two year postgraduate degree, eligibility for which is an undergraduate degree in business management or business..

Master of Computer Application

Category: Computer Application

Degree: MCA

Mode: Full Time

Medium: Campus

Duration: 3 Years

J.D.B Govt. Girls P.G. College

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Janaki Devi Bajaj Government College for women is an affiliated college of the University of Kota, established in the year 1958.Located in the heart of the Kota city in Rajasthan (India) and spread on the lush green campus is a premier centre for women’s education and research. Accredited B+ grade by NAAC it is ranked among the topmost government colleges in Rajasthan by the state government. With an enrolment of over 4700 girls it has 23 departments engaged in offering undergraduate and post graduate course in Arts, Science and Commerce. The faculty is highly qualified, experienced and majority of them hold doctoral degree and working on research projects funded by national level bodies. It is a premier centre for girls education and research in Hadoti region and has been imparting value based education for more than 45 years now. Apart from major academic events the college has also gained prominence in extending co- curricular activities for overall personality development of its students. The college also offers various vocational and career oriented courses besides regular pass courses

Government Commerce College

The Government Commerce College located in Kota (Rajasthan) came into existence in 1978, with the objective of imparting quality education in the field of commerce, to the people of the region. The college of commerce is affiliated to University of Kota. Government Commerce College is recognized by University Grants Commission (UGC), Government of India and accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). The college offers courses in the field of commerce at undergraduate and postgraduate degree levels - Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com) and Master of Commerce (M.Com). Spread over 25 acres of land, Government Commerce College Kota is well equipped with modern amenities within its campus.

Affiliated to: Kota University

Facilities:

Well stocked library Hostels Canteen Computer center Audio visual aid Playgrounds Sports and games

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INTRODUCTION

Let's first define what work-life balance is not. Work-Life Balance does not mean an equal balance. Trying to schedule an equal number of hours for each of your various work and personal activities is usually unrewarding and unrealistic. Life is and should be more fluid than that. Your best individual work-life balance will vary over time, often on a daily basis. The right balance for you today will probably be different for you tomorrow. The right balances for you when you are single will be different when you marry, or if you have children; when you start a new career versus when you are nearing retirement. There is no perfect, one-size fits all, balance you should be striving for. The best work- life balance is different for each of us because we all have different priorities and different lives. However, at the core of an effective work-life balance definition are two key everyday concepts that are relevant to each of us. They are daily Achievement and Enjoyment, ideas almost deceptive in their simplicity. Engraining a fuller meaning of these two concepts takes us most of the way to defining a positive Work-Life Balance.

The change in the pattern of work and the concept of the workplace after the industrial revolution in the second half of the 18th century gave a new dimension to the concept of WLB. As time progressed, nuclear families increased. A later change was the fading away of the "ideal home" in which the earning member's spouse took care of the home.

With improved education and employment opportunities today, most homes are ones in which both parents work, because of necessity and the desire to augment incomes.

MEANING OF WORK LIFE BALANCE:

The expression "work-life balance" was first used in the late 1970s to describe the balance between an individual's work and personal life.

WORK LIFE BALANCE is… achieved when an individual’s right to a fulfilled life inside and outside paid work is accepted and respected as the norm, to the mutual benefit of the individual, business, and society.

Work Life Balance consists of the implementation of working arrangements and policies which assist workers in combining employment with other aspects of their lives. Employers can benefit from these policies too as they can help to develop a more committed and productive workforce.

Work life and personal life are inter-connected and interdependent. Spending more time in office, dealing with clients and the pressures of job can interfere and affect the personal life, sometimes making it impossible to even complete the household chores. On the other hand,

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personal life can also be demanding if you have a kid or aging parents, financial problems or even problems in the life of a dear relative. It can lead to absenteeism from work, creating stress

and lack of concentration at work.

Changing & increasing work pressures:

A decade back, employees used to have fixed working hours or rather a 9 to 5 job from Monday to Friday. The boundary between the work and home has disappeared with time. But with globalization and people working across countries, the concept of fixed working hours is fading away. Instead of just 7 or 8 a day, people are spending as much as 12-16 hours every day in office.

The technological blessings like e-mail, text messaging and cell phones which were thought of as tools to connect them to their work being away from their workplace, have actually integrated their personal and professional lives. Now professionals find themselves working even when they are on vacations.

The ever-increasing working hours leave the individuals with less time for themselves and to pursue his hobbies or leisure activities. This hinders the growth of the person as an individual in terms of his personal and spiritual growth. Professionals working in the BPO industry, doctors and nurses and especially IT professionals are the few examples who are facing the brunt of the hazard constantly.

WOMEN AND WORK LIFE BALANCE :

Times have changed. From the time the husband earned, and the wife stayed at home. To the time now when the husband earns and the wife earns too. But the wife still cooks and washes and runs the house. So, how does she balance her work with life at home?

Although, over the years women in India have struggled to establish an identity & create a mark in the social as well as in the organizational platforms, but with educational institutions training more and more women to enter professional careers, have drastically changed the scenario. Infact, between 1991 and 2001 female employment in India on the whole, have increased by 3.6% per annum.

This project would highlight the various values, attitudes & beliefs of women regarding job anxiety in their formal work organizations & particularly balancing their work & personal life.

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Work Life Balance (WLB) is not a new concept.

Work-personal life conflict occurs when the burden, obligations and responsibilities of work and family roles become incompatible. Obligation of one can force an individual to neglect the other.

Gender differences regarding work-life balance

According to Sylvia Hewlett, president of the Center for Work-Life Policy, if a woman takes time off to care for children or an older parent, employers tend to “see these people as less than fully committed. It’s as though their identity is transformed.”

Brett Graff, Nightly Business Report correspondent states that (because a woman may have trouble re-entering the market or, if she does find a position, it will likely be a lower position with less pay). “If you thought choosing a baby name was hard, you have yet to wrestle with the idea of leaving your career to be a full-time mom or take care of an older parent…Most will want to reenter, but will do so accepting lesser positions or lower wages.”

This circumstance only increases the work-life balance stress experienced by many women employees.

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Importance of Work Life Balance to Women

Today's career women are continually challenged by the demands of full-time work and when the day is done at the office, they carry more of the responsibilities and commitments to home.

Can women be both sharers and careers. Often, working women drop out of the work force when they are doing well, simply because they wanted to stay at home with their children, or care for an ageing parent or for both reasons. And then there are women who have children later in life because they want to work for reasons of personal satisfaction or for the money. So, can a woman have it all? The working woman should refuse to take on too much. She should adopt a sense of priorities.

If she has children, she should teach them to share responsibilities. But what about the husband? Has he changed at all anywhere in the world?

Surprisingly, a survey in the UK revealed that a majority of men want a 50/50 partnership with their wives both at work and home. They no longer see themselves as macho men. They want to spend more time with their children. Has the Indian man kept pace with the times? Can women achieve a work-life balance? The changing Equations of New Era The Changing Equations The Machine Age The Industrial Age The Networked Age Stress High Higher Highest Work- Life balance You went to work-life started only when you go home Not only are people working at work, but also at home 24-hour workdays split into compartments dedicated for 'life' Women and Work The men worked and women tended the house Both men and women worked, and women still tended the house Both men and women work and tend to the house.

Work-life balance issues and their influence on children

An increasing number of young children are being raised by a childcare provider or another person other than a parent; older children are more likely today to come home to an empty house and spend time with video games, television and the internet with less guidance to offset or control the messages coming from these sources.No one knows how many kids are home after school without an adult, but they know the number is in the millions.

Successfully achieving work/life balance will ultimately create a more satisfied workforce that contributes to productivity and success in the workplace."

FACTORS AFFECTING WORK-LIFE BALANCE:

WORKING HOURS WORK LOADS MULTIPLE ROLES FAMILY REQUIREMENTS

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PHYSICAL DISCOMFORT

Factors influencing that work-life is not balance :

Tired, depressed, anxious, and tension. Work performance isn’t as good as it has been. Missing work more often than you should Personal relationships are suffering. Feel like running in circles and getting nowhere. Feel like have no choices and no control. Think of more things that aren’t getting done. Feel like one part of life is dominating time and energy

Reasons of imbalance:

There are various reasons for this imbalance and conflicts in the life of an employee.

From individual career ambitions to pressure to cope up with family or work, the reasons can be situation and individual specific. The speed of advancement of information technology, the increasing competition in the talent supply market has led to a "performance-driven" culture creating pressures and expectations to performance more and better every time.

Also, many a times, many people find it difficult to say "NO" to others especially their superiors. They usually end up over burdening themselves with work. The increasing responsibilities on the personal front with age can also create stress on personal and professional fronts.

Consequences of Work-Life Balance Struggles :

Work-life balance struggles can diminish overall happiness and well-being and negatively impact your life in far-reaching ways.

Overworked and overstressed employees are more likely to get sick and have high absentee rates.

A lack of work/life balance affects an employee’s attitude. Unhappy workers are typically less efficient and can destroy morale.

Burnout directly affects turnover rates. Employees can work at a frantic pace for only so long before they get frustrated and leave a company.

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Constant struggle and effort to maintain a balance between the work and personal life can have serious implications on the life of an individual. According to studies, it has been found to that such situation can take a toll on the person's health both physiologically and psychologically. Heart ailments, cardiovascular problems, sleep disorders, depression, irritability, jumpiness, insecurity, poor concentration and even nervous breakdowns are becoming common among the victims of such imbalance. Pressure, stress or tension in work life can lead to bad social life and vice versa.

Benifits Of Work life Balance :

Life is like a game and an individual has to play with work, family, health, friends and spirit. Work is like a rubber ball. If dropped it will bounce back but the other four aspects family, health, friends and spirit are made of glass. Assuming one of these are dropped they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged, or even shattered. They will never be the same. One must understand that and strive for balance in life.

To the Individual:

Able to better meet work/personal/society commitment. Increased productivity Better relationship both on and off the job Reduced Stress Decrease pressure More time to do other things Help with child/eldercare arrangements.

To the Organization:

• Employee satisfaction• Attract/retain employees • Decrease labour turnover• Increase employee productivity• Improved reputation• Decrease absenteeism• Improved business results• Measured increase in productivity, accountability, commitment• Better teamwork and communication• Improved morale• Less negative organizational stress

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To the Society :

• Reduce health care costs• Encourage and enable family involvement• Encourage/enable volunteerism • Happier people - reduce conflict/violence• Better economy

Industries have realized the importance of the above. Organizations are setting up policies for maintaining a work life balance. They are going in for innovative methods to keep their employees happy and satisfied, as it makes office a better place to work and also positively impact productivity. The concept of work-life balance (WLB) is not a new but with the changing pace of life and increase in stress levels, negatively affecting the quality of work, has made many organizations think about the strategies for maintaining a work life balance.

There is a strong link between work life balance policies and reduced absenteeism, increased productivity and job satisfaction. Other benefits include improved recruitment and retention rates with associated cost savings, a reduction stress, greater levels of job satisfaction and loyalty and an improved corporate image.

The work life balance strategy offers a variety of ways to reduce stress levels and increase job satisfaction of the employees. The fundamental principle of designing activities around the topic of work life balance is that work should be part of life.

Companies are ready to do everything possible to keep their employees happy and are pampering them like never before with new policies like flexi-timings, day care centers, fun and games at work, team outing spas and for kids, extended maternity leave, health care centers, medical insurances, fun and games at work, team outing, spas and gyms at office etc.

Employees tend to feel motivated when they feel that the organization is putting extra effort in providing a healthy balance between work and life. Motivated employees not only enhance the productivity but also help creating a positive work environment at office.

Work life balance is a choice an individual has to make. However, it is the organization that needs to take an initiative to help the employees. Today, an employee is not looking at their employer just a job but they want the company to care for their work life balance and their well being. If a company addresses these needs, in addition to providing great career opportunities, they can be very successful in providing job satisfaction to the employee.

Companies are adopting new means to ensure that their employees get enough time to enjoy their personal life and spend time with family.

Another recent trend is the sabbatical. Certain companies encourage employees on completion of certain period at work to take time for a year to rethink and re-plan his/her career or just to take a break, relax and rejuvenate.

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Firms are going for innovative practices to keep their employees happy. Even a business solution providing company, promotes ROWE (Results Only Work Environment) culture within the organization, negating the age old dogma that equates physical presence with productivity and encouraging people to focus on working smarter rather than longer. Another attempt by the company to manage work-life balance is to encourage all employees to take a minimum of seven days annual leave in a year. It is the responsibility of the reporting managers or supervisors to ensure that the employees reporting to them take this leave.

Some organizations have initiatives to provide timely assistance to the employees in a crisis situation rising out of financial or personal problems.

At Accenture, they believe that telecommuting is one of the key tools for attracting and retaining employees especially women employees. Our employees have the flexibility to exercise a need based work from option as it helps them more in maintaining balance between work and home. The benefits of telecommuting include increased productivity, lower attrition, less number of leaves taken, cost savings on infrastructure and of course an extremely happy workforce.

Firms are not leaving it at this point. They also evaluate the results of these initiatives to ensure that all these initiatives have the desired impact.

Company heads talk informally with the staff to understand how they are balancing their personal and professional lives and whether the organization is facilitating this well.

Strategies to strike a balance between work and life

1. Plan: It's always a good idea to plan out your schedule for the next day to make the most of your time. Remember to not only fill it with work but also non-work commitments like time for family, housework, sleeping and to do something enjoyable. Treat non-work commitments as seriously as you treat working commitments.

2. Say "No": Work-life balance cannot be successful without effective priority setting. You can easily commit more time than you have by not able to refuse new responsibilities, favors, or even casual requests. Make a point to seriously consider each request that comes your way and respectfully say "no" to the things that matter least. Saying "no" is easier than disappointing yourself and the other person when you won't be able to do well because you're too overwhelmed.

3. Increase effective time at work: Many people spend long hours at work without knowing the effective time they spend actually working. If you are one of them then spend a week tracking everything you do and the amount of time you spend on them, including work-related and personal activities. At the end of the week, you'll be surprised to know the amount of time you are spending on activities (like checking the email many times a day) which are not essential to completing your high impact work.

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By reducing the amount of time you spend on such activities, you can accomplish the same work by spending less time in office.

4. Leave work at work: The boundary between work and home is fast disappearing, thanks to the technology to connect to anyone at any time from anywhere. This means we are not only working from home (even after spending the whole day at work) but also bringing the work-related stress home. This can be detrimental to your relationship with your child or significant other. You need to make a conscious decision to separate work time from personal time. Turn off your cell phone and put away your laptop computer, when you are with your family.

5. Take vacations: Take all the vacation you are allotted otherwise you will be facing a burnout. A healthy work life balance involves taking some days off from the office.

6. Work from home: Some offices do allow you to work from home. This way you can take some time out for a home cooked lunch, or help out with the home chores and work simultaneously. This also allows for more time with the family. Some offices also offer other flexibilities like flexible working hours or a compressed workweek. These can give you more control over your hours.

7. Exercise: Exercise is a sure-fire way to get your mind off of work. Even a half hour of moderate exercise will give you energy and give you the power to face the day. Doing exercises each day enlivens you and gives you the spirit and resourcefulness to do your best.

8. Diet: Eat a nutritious diet with plenty of water. Fast food, while a convenient time saver, can lead to weight and health problems. The health problems will further complicate your work life balance.

9. Relax: Without proper sleep, you aren't able to properly function. So take time to relax yourself by getting at least 8 hours of sleep. You can also use meditation and yoga to relax yourself.

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10. Avoid procrastination: Learn to set more realistic goals and deadlines and then stick to them. Manage your time efficiently. Don't put off working on a project until the last minute; get things done when they are required to be done.

11. Develop a support system: A strong support system in the form of a trusted friend or co-worker can help you withstand pressures that you may experience in your life. When a family conflict arise, they can cover for you at work and when you need to work overtime or travel for work, they can pitch in with household responsibilities or child care.

12. Avoid Guilt: No need to feel awful about not being perfect. There's no balance without give and take. So be flexible when you can, and avoid guilt if you don't match up to the expectations.

13. Simplify: Life tends to get pretty complex, especially for people trying to balance so many demands. Live simply, expect less and give more.

Many people today are too busy making a living that they don't have time to make a life. Start setting yourself apart from the competition today!

No one lives a perfectly balanced life, especially busy women. I encourage every woman to ask herself, `What is the one change I can make to better organize and manage my time so I have a more balanced life?' Once you have examined and identified the one thing you need to change, work on it until you are successful in accomplishing the change. Then, keep repeating the process. Eventually, you will feel a greater sense of peace, fulfillment and contribution in the days and years to come.

Framework for successful Work-Life Balance in organizations

* Identify the key need or reason for introducing Work-Life Balance policies * Build the commitment to Work-Life Balance Policies into the organization ' s vision or value statement * Set up a Work-Life Balance Task Force Examine current practices in the organization * Hold joint discussions with employees to evolve policies, while also identifying possible barriers * Communicate policies through handbooks, newsletters, Intranet and other forms of communication

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* Hold workshops to help Managers implement and manage policies * Begin with a few "quick win" policies

Monitor implementation and put feedback systems into place In India, there is a starting point in that organizations have recognized the need for and value of Work-Life Balance policies. An integral part of our lives is our profession. Just as there is responsibility and opportunity in life, our careers are also guided by opportunities and responsibilities. We must ensure that these two factors don't work at cross purposes. Quality of life is something we all covet, every profession affects life in general and every profession has a duty towards life.

Employers can facilitate WLB with many schemes that can attract women employees and satisfy their needs.Some of these are:

* Facilities for child care * Financial planning services for employees who need them* Flexi-timings * Work sharing * Part time employment * Leave plans - both paid and unpaid - to suit employee's needs* Subsidized food plans* Insurance plans * Counseling services for problems like managing work and the home* Rest rooms, food preparation services* Jobs with autonomy and flexibility * Realistic work loads * Review of work processes to see if the burden on employees can be lightened.Maintaining dialogue with the employees and considering their suggestions on a continuous basis Achieving "work-life balance" is not as simple as it sounds. Juggling between the obligations towards the families and expectations of the organisation and constant struggle to maintain a balance can work can have serious implications on the life of an individual. Therefore, it is important for employees to maintain a healthy balance between work and their private lives. This will help them achieve their personal and professional goals as well the organisation they are working for.

Conclusion for working women, getting caught in the work/life balance trap will continue to be an ongoing challenge. Careful planning and personal effort is the advice from those who have found balance in both career and home life. As one respondent summarized, "Plan, prioritize and schedule as efficiently as possible,.. and don't be afraid of hard work!" Work-life balance is a person's control over the conditions in their workplace. It is accomplished when an individual feels dually satisfied about their personal life and their paid occupation. It mutually benefits the

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individual, business and society when a person ' s personal life is balanced with his or her own job. The work-life balance strategy offers a variety of means to reduce stress levels and increase job satisfaction in the employee while enhancing business benefits for the employer. In our increasingly hectic world, the work-life strategy seeks to find a balance between work and play. A sentence that brings the idea of work life balance to the point is: "Work to live. Don't live to work." As long as u always keep your positive attitude , you will be able to overcome the hurdles that you encounter.

Work-Life Balance Principles The work-life balance principles that follow have been developed to reflect the needs ofgovernment agencies and their employees. Having an agreed set of principles serves to:

■ establish a common framework within which individual agencies can develop theirown work-life balance policies■ alert current and prospective employees to the reasonable expectations they can haveof their workplace environment.The principles have been structured around policy and implementation issues.

Policy principlesWork-life balance should:

■ Benefit both the individual and the organizationThis acknowledges the intersection between work and life, and the requirement forthe needs of both parties to be considered. There must be a ‘value proposition’ for theemployer as well as a benefit for the employee

■ Be responsive to the needs of the organization (nature of the business, operatinghours, etc) and the demands of their service-usersThis acknowledges the need to factor in the purpose and demand of the business (theway it operates, hours of operation and client needs), when considering work-lifebalance initiatives

■ Be aligned with the vision and strategic direction of the organizationAs with all other human resource-related issues, work-life balance needs to be ‘insynch’ with the strategic direction of the agency

■ Recognize that the needs of both the organization and employees are not static,but change over timeThe needs of staff and the organization should be reviewed regularly to reflect changesin staff circumstances, including age and lifestyle, and organizational circumstances,such as restructuring. Such recognition will ensure that work-life balance initiativescontinue to be relevant and add value to both parties

■ Be broad, in order to cover a wide variety of situations and employee needsWork-life balance affects all members of society, not just those in traditional familyunits, and initiatives should be accessible to reflect a broader range of family and ‘ageand stage’ circumstances

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■ Be a joint responsibility between employees, their union and the organizationThis acknowledges the importance of a partnership approach, where the union/s andemployer, management and staff, can work together to achieve change and share inthe benefits of work-life balance. Staff are responsible for advising managers ofchanges to their life circumstances that may impact on work, and both are responsiblefor developing solutions

■ Be available to all employees, or have it clearly stated where they are not (e.g.some jobs may not be able to be done part-time)There will be some environments where there will be limitations on the type ofwork-life initiatives available. These circumstances need to be clearly identified, butshould not limit the potential for implementation in other parts of an organization andfor other creative solutions to be found

■ Be fair and equitable, recognizing that different cultures, abilities/disabilities,religions, beliefs, and family practices may mean different solutions fordifferent people, and that ‘one size does not fit all’Organizations should consider a variety of work-life initiatives to reflect the uniquebackgrounds and aspirations of staff from different cultures. This emphasizes the needto involve representatives of all staff groups who will be affected

■ Be affordable for the organization and realistically budgetedInitiatives need to be examined to ensure that the aims and objectives are feasible forthe organization and staff, and are within the budget parameters of the organization

■ Value employees for their contribution to the organization, regardless of theirworking pattern

This signals the organization’s understanding that employees have personal as well asworking lives and that the two intersect. Having flexible options available that bothacknowledge and accommodate different/changing needs, while at the same timemeeting organizational requirements, will encourage greater employee contributionand productivity, and overall commitment to the organization.

Implementation principlesWork-life balance programs should:

■ Be flexible, so that the provisions can be altered to meet the changing needs ofemployees and the organizationThe needs of staff and the organization should be regularly analyzed to reflect changesin staff circumstances, such as age and life style, and organizational circumstances,such as restructuring. Such recognition will ensure that work-life balance initiativesremain relevant and add value to both parties

■ Highlight the need for management, unions and employees to work in partnershipto identify issues and discuss relevant and workable solutionsAs work-life balance benefits employees and employers, and can result in changes toworking patterns, it is important that all parties, including unions, participate activelyin this process. To be effective, work-life programs need to be developed through

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an inclusive process

■ Be widely communicated, so that employees are aware of what is availableThe greater the range of options known to be available, the greater the benefits to staffand the organization

■ Be easily accessible, i.e. employees know what is available and feel they can usethe provisions without being penalizedHaving the work-life initiatives posted in a form accessible to everybody will increasetransparency and assist all parties in discussions about options and solutions that willbest fit staff and organizations. The organizational culture should encourage and notpenalize people who seek work-life balance solutions, while respecting those whowork standard hours, or long hours by personal choice

■ Be integrated with human resource and people management policies and practiceWork-life balance contributes to the achievement of inclusive and responsiveorganizational cultures and provides access to equal employment opportunities withinthe working environment. It is therefore an important feature of human resourcepolicies and practices. All personnel with people management responsibilities shouldbe aware of work-life balance policies and guidelines. Other HR policies and practicesshould complement work-life balance and not work against it

■ Be carefully planned, agreed and practical, so that the programs can workWell-planned, agreed and practical work-life programs will contribute positivelyto the overall wellbeing and security of employment for all staff. To achieve this,management buy-in should be obtained, and both staff and union/s involved

■ Allow for tailoring to meet individual employee needs where possibleThe program needs to be flexible, as the same size does not fit all. Tailoring to meetan individual need, where appropriate, will contribute to maximizing staff participation

■ Include a monitoring and evaluation mechanism, to investigate if they aresucceeding in their aims and are being applied consistentlyThe evaluation should be done in consultation with managers and staff, and shouldinclude a review of whether the organization’s needs have evolved or the original valueproposition is different.

Working Together A key idea embedded in the work-life balance policy principles set out is that it is imperative for employers and employees, including the relevant union, to work together, if work-life balance is to become a reality for more than a handful of individuals.

Therefore, organization should:■ provides some comments on working in partnership■ identifies elements of a workplace culture that will support work-life balance and thosethat will inhibit it■ outlines the roles and responsibilities of key parties.

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Working in partnership

The objective of all parties working together is to facilitate the achievement of work-lifebalance for as many individuals as possible, whether their focus is on improving personalwellbeing or on participating more fully in family life, or in other unpaid work orcommunity work. In every situation it is up to individuals to define the ‘right’ work-lifebalance for themselves. This makes a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach impossible, andunderscores the need for all parties to work together to address different situations.

Working in partnership requires the active involvement and participation of all parties,with a commitment to a shared approach. In the area of work-life balance, an abilityto work together effectively will be based on the creation of a positive, long-termrelationship between unions, employers and employees that is concerned with both thefuture of the business and improving the working life of individuals.

The Partnership for Quality Agreement has identified a set of principles around the concepts of engagement and good faith that are useful in considering how the parties involved can work together effectively in the area of work-life balance. Engagement relates to the collective participation of employees through their union in the management of their workplaces. Good faith is concerned withrespect for each other’s roles and acceptance of responsibility for making the partnershipwork. The focus of the relationship is problem resolution and asking “How can we make this happen?” not “Why won’t this work?”

A genuine partnership will have:■ shared commitment to investment in quality jobs and improving the quality of public services■ common ownership of plans, issues and problems, and the generation of solutions■ recognition of the legitimate roles of the employer and the union■ recognition that each party has an interest in the other being well organized and effective■ openness on both sides■ trust that is built by identifying and solving problems jointly■ representation from all groups of staff■ healthy dialogue that sees the parties working together on problem resolution■ a commitment to improving the organization of work at all levels in the organization■ a commitment to action on possible solutions rather than shelving the issue until it is too late.

Organizational culture

Work-life balance policies and practices within organizations are influenced and shapedby the wider environmental context. Work-life balance is part of an organizationalculture, and is driven by key parties with individual roles and responsibilities. Anindividual’s work-life balance is influenced by the culture and by all the parties involved.

Organizational culture means ‘the way things are done around here’. It is made up of theassumptions, practices and beliefs that form the unquestioned, ‘normal’ way of workingin an organization – the reality, not necessarily what is stated and explicit. Organizational

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cultures can be powerful in either supporting or undermining initiatives such as work lifebalance.

In this section, the culture and values needed to support work-life balance are discussed,as well as those that hinder or inhibit the achievement of balance. This information will:

■ assist an organization to understand its organizational culture and to assess the extentto which it can support work-life balance

■ describe the type of environment needed to support the roles and responsibilities ofall parties involved in enabling work-life balance.

While it is not possible to create a new culture overnight, it is possible to propose newvalues and new ways of doing things that, over time, can set the stage for new behavior.Culture is created by all the participants in it. Each person has a part to play in shapingand influencing the culture.

A culture that values balance:■ is active, not passive, e.g. asking “How can we make this happen?” rather than saying “Let’swait and see what others do”

■ is innovative, e.g. people approach issues with an open mind as to what the solution maylook like and are willing to try out new solutions

■ is inclusive, e.g. work-life balance policies cover all staff, irrespective of whether or not theyhave childcare responsibilities

■ is aware of, and seeks to prevent, potential discrimination in terms of loss of careeradvancement or income due to accessing work-life balance arrangements

■ is flexible to meet the varying needs of different staff, e.g. policies are developed that enablecustomized solutions to be found for differing needs

■ has a high level of trust among employees, employee representatives and managers, e.g.union and management work together on developing work-life balance strategy

■ respects and values employees’ roles outside of the workplace, e.g. responsibilities inrelation to elderly parents, community work, sports teams

■ is reciprocal, in the sense that the organization supports work-life balance by being flexibleand responsive to staff needs, and staff support the organization by being diligent andproductive at work

■ is realistic about what the organization has the capacity to deliver and encouragesmanagers to negotiate workloads and priorities and to manage expectations accordingly.

Aspects of workplace cultures that hinder or inhibit the achievement of balance include:

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■ Attitudes of employees. Employees need to maintain the trust of their employers by usingflexible hours or special arrangements honestly, responsibly and fairly, in a spirit of respectfor both their employers and their colleagues.

■ Attitudes of colleagues. Colleagues’ personal beliefs, attitudes and behaviors towardpeople who utilize work-life balance initiatives can be a powerful inhibitor. For example:unwillingness to schedule meetings to meet the needs of part-time workers; a belief thatpeople aren’t contributing fully if they leave before 5 pm; or a belief that others’ work-lifebalance solutions should come at their own personal expense.

■ Rigidity in management approaches. Attempts to negotiate work-life balance can sometimes be inhibited by the rigidity of management, whether due to their lack of understanding of work-life balance, knowledge of organizational policies or lack of willingness. For example: not being open to exploring how things could be done differently; approachingissues with a negative attitude, e.g. “This won’t work because…”, “I work long hours, whyshouldn’t you?”; applying ‘rules’ according to the letter rather than the spirit of work-lifebalance policies.

■ Internal practices. In some cases there are rigid assumptions and requirements and/orlack of vision, choice and flexibility around the way work is done. One example is wherethe value of work is defined by the individual’s visibility to the manager, or by the length ofworking hours, as opposed to output, adding value or meeting objectives.

■ HR policies. The extent to which flexibility is not built into HR policies can negativelyinfluence the culture. Examples include where overnight travel payment for childcare isexpressed as a special case that has to be applied for, rather than a legitimate expense;or the failure to consider and indicate in job descriptions whether a job could be filled ona part-time or job-share basis.

■ Personal barriers. Sometimes inhibitors are self-imposed, based on the beliefs, attitudesand behaviors of staff who might otherwise desire access to work-life balance policiesand practices. Examples include feeling that they are not pulling their weight or that theyare placing pressure on others by utilizing work-life balance initiatives.

■ The special nature of the work can make work-life balance difficult to achieve.

Roles and Responsibilities of Parties

Work-life balance cannot be achieved in isolation, but is the joint responsibility of anumber of parties, including the individual seeking work-life balance for her/himself.The following table is designed to give a ‘see at a glance’ summary of the key roles.In addition, other people within an organization will need to be engaged in some phases.

For example, during the development of the organization’s strategic approach towork-life balance, it may be important to engage staff involved with business planningand the identification of future capability needs. During the development of the work-life

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balance plan, it would be helpful to involve staff from the corporate planning and financeareas. Equally, during the development of the work-life balance communication strategy,it will be critical to involve internal communications/media staff.

Summary of roles and responsibilities of key parties in work-life balance

Individual

■ Makes choices carefully about fit with organization when applying for a job■ Identifies personal needs (‘must haves’ versus ‘like to haves’) and possible solutions (being realistic about what is possible)■ Takes responsibility for discussing needs and possible solutions with their manager (and union if appropriate)■ Takes responsibility for delivering their own workload as agreed with their manager■ Reviews and modifies arrangements as their personal circumstances change■ Is supportive of colleagues’ and manager’s work-life balance needs■ Participates in development of organizational work-life balance strategy

Union

■ Promotes work-life balance to members and employers■ Articulates the collective interests of members in work-life balance issues■ Works in partnership with employer to develop a work-life balance strategy and to improvework-life balance in the organization■ Leads members’ participation in developing work-life balance solutions■ When required, assists individuals to negotiate work-life balance solutions

HR manager

■ Develops a work-life balance strategy that meets the needs of both the employees and theorganization■ Ensures work-life balance is embedded in all HR policies (including provision of induction and training)■ Supports individual managers to improve work-life balance in the organisation and find solutions to employees’ work-life balance needs■ Ensures training on work-life balance principles and practice is provided to managers■ Provides assurance to management that the work-life balance strategy is being appropriatelyimplemented in the organization

Line manager

■ Explicitly communicates support for work-life balance initiatives■ Walks the talk/leads by example■ Implements organizational work-life balance strategy (including managing risk-averse workenvironments)■ Works with individual employees to manage work-life balance fairly and creatively and to findindividual solutions (by challenging existing practices, identifying scope for flexibility, identifyingopportunities as well as limitations)

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Senior manager

■ Sets the environment that will make work-life balance work■ Walks the talk/leads by example, by modelling work-life balance in his/her personal life■ Sets work-life balance performance expectations for managers, so that they find solutions toemployees’ work-life balance issues■ Leads the development of the work-life balance strategy■ Manages Ministerial expectations of staff and the organisation■ Ensures that the wider context makes work-life balance possible.

Process to Make Work-Life Balance Happen in the organization

The focus is on the implementation of positive work-life balance practiceswithin organizations.

The guidance comprises:■ a strategic approach to work-life balance■ a self-assessment tool for determining an organization’s current position in terms ofwork-life balance■ a five-stage model and associated steps■ the relevant roles and responsibilities for each work-life balance party.

This is for organizations to use and adapt as necessary, to make work-lifebalance a living reality.

A strategic approach to work-life balance

Developing a work-life balance policy and practices is a strategic change process. Thereare five suggested stages of intervention:

1 Undertake work-life balance assessment and needs analysis. (“Where are we now?”)2 Develop a strategic approach to work-life balance. (“Where do we want to be?”)3 Plan and implement a work-life balance plan. (“How do we get there?”)4 Evaluate the effectiveness of work-life balance initiatives. (Review of “How we gotthere”.)5 Review work-life balance needs and a strategic approach. (Review of “Where are wenow?” and “Where do we want to be?”).

A self-assessment toolAll government agencies will have addressed work-life balance issues to some extent.In some organizations, this will be in considerable detail, with a work-life balance policyand a number of work-life balance initiatives in place. In other organizations, action takenmay be quite minimal.It is suggested that organizations assess their current position in relation to work-lifebalance according to the following categories:■ not current practice■ a beginning■ current ad hoc practices■ strategic practice

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■ strategic practice is evaluated..The organizations should do the following to progress the work life balance:-

1.Undertake work life balance assessment and need analysis

1.1 Become familiar with work-life balance issues1.2 Understand drivers and motivating factors for exploring work-life balance in this organization1.3 Conduct a needs analysis1.4Develop a business case for work-life balance

1.1 Become familiar with work-life balance issues

What is work-life balance? What are work-life balance issues? During this step, allparties are becoming familiar with the work-life balance landscape.

Three components should be in balance to achieve a healthy lifestyle: paid work, unpaidwork, and personal timeIn this document, work-life balance issueshave been grouped under those pertaining to the workplace and those relating toparticular life circumstances. Categories within these two groupings are as follows:

■ Work-life balance issues generated by aspects of the workplace:■ nature of the work■ types of workplaces■ issues in the workplace.

■ Work-life balance issues generated by different life needs:■ need for time for families and community■ need for personal time■ needs as a member of a specific group.

1.2 Understand drivers and motivating factors for exploring work-lifebalance in this organization

The focus in this step is on clearly identifying the impetus for addressing work-lifebalance issues in this organization at this time. Every organization will have specific reasons why work-life balance is important for them now. These may include issues raised in employment agreement negotiations, union consultations, the ongoing loss of, or failure to attract, a particular group of employees or the desire to be perceived as an employer of choice. The moreExplicit the motivation and drivers, the greater likelihood of success.

1.3 Conduct a needs analysisThe way the organization provides work-life balance has to be driven by an understandingof the particular needs of the staff and the work of the business.This step identifies a process for gathering a range of information that will assist theorganization to tailor future work-life balance strategies to the needs of staff and theorganization. It involves:

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■ reviewing what policies already exist, e.g. leave policy, flexible work, employmentagreements. What is already in place? Is it working? Why? Why not?

■ reviewing what is already known about staff needs. Look at relevant informationthat has already been collected, e.g. organizational surveys, HRIS information, Progress reports, exit interviews, partnership forums, statistics on sick leave/Absenteeism, or issues identified by unions■ considering anecdotal information – what work-life balance issues do people/staff talkabout?■ compiling a profile of staff:

Who are the staffs? Consider age profiles, gender mix, ethnicity, percentage of part time workers. For example, if the organization has many women of childbearing age, this may indicate childcare issues; a high proportion of older staff may indicate elder care issues in regard to their parents

Explore the extent of change over time – how static or mobile is your workforce? How flexible will your policies need to be?

■ Gathering information from staff about work-life balance: canvas staff issues (e.g. shift work, travel to work, access to after-school care,) gather ideas on possible solutions (e.g. access to flexible hours, work from home,

Breast feeding areas, reduction of hours to prepare for retirement) use union structures or staff groupings to identify priorities.

1.4 Develop a business case for work-life balanceThe focus of this step is linking the original drivers or motivation for exploring work-lifebalance with the needs of staff in the organization, and with any strategic issues that mayhave a bearing on a work-life balance program.

This step may involve:■ exploring the external environment. Consider: government commitment to work-lifebalance, legislative commitments, desire to be seen as an employer of choice, workforce changes, skill shortages■ exploring the internal environment. Consider: needs of staff, what sort of employerthe organization wants to be, what sort of business it is in, key strategies, issues thatmay impact on the composition of the organization’s workforce in future

■ Identifying key business and organizational drivers, such as: attracting or retaining staff improving performance or productivity increasing organizational flexibility in responding to customer need, e.g. greater

flexibility of operating hours gaining staff commitment and loyalty the delivery of particular strategic goals requiring key skills that are only available

in a flexible workplace Reduced employee stress An enhanced public image.

■ Undertaking some form of high-level cost-benefit analysis

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■ Considering where work-life balance ‘fits’ in your organization, e.g. within a businessinitiative such as quality of policy or service, or as an HR initiative, such as part ofthe HR strategy etc.

■ Considering who has accountability, e.g. locating the program in a seniormanagement portfolio, or with the general manager in human resources

■ Beginning the writing up of the business case.The business case for work-life balance should include two main parts:a. The purpose of having work-life balance policies and practices, i.e. why work-lifebalance is required in the organization. This needs to be very specific to the businessand staff in the organization.

b. The costs and benefits envisaged, i.e. how work-life balance policies and practiceswill benefit staff and enhance the functioning of the organization, and the risks andcosts of not addressing work-life balance.

2. Develop a strategic approach to work life balance5.2 Develop a strategic approach to work-life balance5.2.1 Review business case5.2.2 Ensure senior management/union commitment to business case5.2.3 Develop a vision5.2.4 Identify key areas of focus for work-life balance in the organization5.2.5 Develop work-life balance policy

2.1 Review business caseIf the organization’s business case for work-life balance was not written recently, it maybe useful to conduct a quality check. Check that the business case:

■ Still has meaning and is relevant (consider current business strategy, needs of staff,changing work-life balance environment – e.g. broader focus than family-friendly,legislative changes)

■ had union involvement and support when it was drafted

■ is easy to understand and that the language used fits the environment.Where there are gaps or issues to be addressed in the business case, or there is need forupdating or improving, refer to the process outlined in section 1.4.

2.2 Ensure senior management/union commitment to business case

The introduction of comprehensive work-life balance policies and practices may requiresomething of a culture shift in some organisations. Leadership from senior management,and union/s where relevant, is critical to this process. This step provides a process toassist senior managers and the union/s to become clear about why work-life balance isimportant to the business and the value that it affords.

While this commitment may have already occurred during the development of thebusiness case, there may not be buy-in from the whole senior management team and/or

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union/s for several reasons. For example, the business case may have been developed along time ago, or there may have been changes in the management team.

To gain true buy-in and understanding of the business case for work-life balance, bothsenior management and the union/s need to engage consciously with the issue. Thisprocess may be driven by one of the senior management team or by the union/s, and maybe facilitated and supported by the HR manager. The process could involve individualdiscussions or group workshops/discussions or a combination of these. During thisprocess it is important to explore:

■ the drivers and motivating factors for work-life balance, as described in the businesscase (consider which of the drivers have a particular resonance for the individuals,what the business drivers mean to them)

■ the impact work-life balance issues have had on the business

■ the individual manager’s experience with work-life balance issues personally and with their staff

■ the individual manager’s personal motivations for work-life balance.

It is important that there is genuine dialogue and sharing, and a willingness to discussthe issues. To be committed to the business case and be a champion of work-life balance,senior managers and the union/s need to see the business case as their own.As a result of discussing and working through the business case, modifications may beidentified, such as changes to the language used to make it more meaningful to people,or the addition of examples.Upon completion of this process, senior managers and the union/s will be able toarticulate persuasively to staff the reasons for achieving work-life balance, so they canexplicitly support the work-life balance initiative and link it to the business.

2.3 Develop a visionOne of the major questions in the strategic change process described at the beginningof this chapter is “Where do we want to be?” The answer to this question is usuallycontained in a vision statement. This step describes what is being explored in a work-lifebalance vision and identifies the components of a vision statement.A vision is a description of the future (e.g. for five, ten or fifteen years out) of what theorganization will look like when work-life balance has been achieved.

A good vision serves three purposes. It:

■ clarifies general direction for change■ motivates people to take action in the right direction■ helps co-ordinate the actions of different people.

There are many different ways in which this vision for the future can be created, rangingfrom a workshop with a cross-section of staff, to the generation of ideas by a work-lifebalance committee, or the senior management team. The more people who are part ofthe process and understand the vision being discussed, the higher the degree of buy-in.Formulating a vision statement at this stage helps to direct the change effort and createsa climate of expectation. A work-life balance vision statement will:

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■ link work-life balance with core business objectives■ express what will be done, rather than what will not■ be phrased inclusively■ state how work-life balance will benefit individuals and their changing needs at various life stages■ emphasize the provision of a supportive environment as well as the use of work-life balance policies■ recognize that all employees, not only managers, have responsibility for the policy.

Vision statements should be dynamic, clear and pithy. They should include:■ a vivid image (mental snapshot, feeling, detailed images, instant awareness, key phrases, examples, colorful and evocative language)■ an ideal or standard of excellence■ a statement of future orientation or desired destination.

2.4 Identify key areas of focus for work-life balance in organizationOnce the organization has a vision, managers, staff and the union/s where relevant, areready to explore what the key areas of focus should be and to begin the development ofthe plan that will achieve the vision. This step describes how to identify which types ofissues are the priorities for the organization.

Before looking at what the key areas of focus are, review:■ the organizational needs identified in the needs analysis (see above, section 1.3)■ the purpose, the drivers and the benefits envisaged, as detailed in the business case(see section 1.4)■ where the organization wants to be, as described in the vision statement

Based on this information, discuss the sort of workplace that seems important to theorganization, and the workplace issues that seem to be prevalent.

Consider which work-life balance issues seem to be most prevalent:

■ Workplace issues – work-life balance issues generated by aspects of the workplace: nature of the work (e.g. 24/7 environments) types of workplaces (e.g. remote offices) Issues in the workplace (e.g. unrealistic workloads).

■ Life issues – work-life balance issues generated by different life needs: Need for time for families and community (e.g. childcare) Need for personal time (e.g. leisure/recreation) Needs as a member of a specific group (e.g. older workers).

The priorities might be determined by:■ the number of staff affected■ organizational/business pressure, e.g. high turnover, high stress, areas where there isa risk of being in breach of legislation ■ cost-benefit analysis■ areas where you can gain ‘runs on the board’ (to help the marketing of work-lifebalance internally).

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Once the priorities have been identified, it will be useful to describe fully the issue foreach of the areas (what it is, the number of staff affected, the difficulties experienced bystaff, and the impact on the business). This will assist in the development of solutions.

During the analysis of the priorities, consider the culture of the organization. Are thereaspects of the culture that hinder work-life balance and that need to be addressed.Consider:■ attitudes of colleagues■ rigidity in management approaches■ internal practices■ HR policies■ personal barriers.

2.5 Develop work-life balance policyHaving an overarching work-life balance policy will help managers and staff to: understandthe organization’s approach to work-life balance; identify the organizational policies andpractices that support work-life balance; and identify the principles the organization wouldexpect staff and managers to consider and apply in negotiating individual work-life balancearrangements. This step identifies what the policy may contain.

A work-life balance policy may describe:■ what work-life balance is and why it is important (this information may be found inthe business case)■ the approach the organization is taking to work-life balance (grounding the vision)■ the principles underpinning work-life balance in the organization (refer to the genericwork-life balance principles in Chapter Two of this document)■ what the organization expects of both managers and staff in negotiating work-lifebalance arrangements■ particular work-life balance issues the organization faces■ other policies that may be useful in achieving a work-life balance solution.

An organization may already have policies on specific aspects of work-life balance(e.g. flexible work, working from home) located elsewhere, such as in employmentagreements. However, it will be important to consolidate these in one general work-lifebalance policy, to include other initiatives to address gaps, and to have them linked bya vision and business case.

3. Plan and implement a work life balance program.5.3 Plan and implement a work-life balance 3.1 Identify people to plan for work-life balance in the organization3.2 Explore possible work-life balance initiatives that best suit needs, and assessoptions3.3 Draft a work-life balance work plan3.4 Develop a communication strategy3.5 Implement work-life balance policy and plan.3.1 Identify people to plan for work-life balance in the organizationIt is important to have the ‘right’ mix of people involved in implementing work-lifebalance initiatives. This step discusses what needs to be considered in identifying the

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‘right’ people to be involved.The first step is to confirm or clarify where work-life balance fits in the managementstructure of the organization in terms of who is accountable for work-life balanceoccurring in the organization – e.g. the chief executive, the HR manager, another seniormanager, or someone else.

Usually at this point the task of developing the plan will be delegated to someone elseoften, but not always, an HR staff member. Involving the ‘right’ mix of people indeveloping work-life balance activities will mean considering representation of:

■ a range of types of needs■ people from all levels in the organization■ those with credibility and authority■ the union/s■ the different areas of the organization.In identifying the best way of involving people, so that they can contribute mosteffectively, consider availability, travel, work-life balance experience, and skill sets.

The next step is to identify how to gather these contributions. There will be differentways of involving people including:■ membership of a work-life balance committee■ contribution of ideas ■ development of material■ providing peer review of material developed■ as champions■ testing solutions.

3.2 Explore possible work-life balance initiatives that best suit needs, and assess options

For each of the work-life balance issues identified under the key areas of focus solutions need to be identified. This step looks at the process of exploring options.For each problem in the areas of focus:■ describe the situation fully■ identify the issues for staff■ identify the issues for management.

The next step is to consider the wide range of possible solutions to address work-lifebalance issues. The different types of work-life balance initiatives fall into fivecategories:

■ flexible working arrangements (the organizing of work hours)■ leave (time out of the workplace)■ care of dependents (assistance with family needs)■ health and wellness initiatives (preventing and managing the stress from work and life)■ work-life balance culture/environment (the organizing of work and management style).

For each problem in the areas of focus, brainstorm possible solutions:

■ Consider what other like organizations are doing and what is working well for them.Remember, however, that the transferability of solutions will be influenced by thesimilarity or otherwise of organizational cultures and the extent to which the particular

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needs of your employees can be addressed.

■ Look at information gathered from staff through the needs analysis phase. Whatsolutions did staff identify?

■ Run a consultation process with staff and managers canvassing for ideas on solutionsand for testing solutions. Employees and first line managers will often have the mostpractical suggestions about how to organise work differently and will know what willwork in the organisation’s environment. Remember that the quality of engagement withemployees is as important as the solution. Ensure active involvement of a range ofpeople and work in partnership to identify solutions..

■ Obtain input from corporate planning and financial staff at this stage, on relevantaspects of cost/benefit analysis, risk management, strategic and business planning,monitoring, and progress reporting.

Once possible solutions have been identified, the options need to be compared andevaluated. Some of the criteria you might use to evaluate options include:

■ the extent to which it addresses the issue (i.e. the identified needs of managers and staff)■ the fit with overall work-life balance plan and policy■ predicting the likely result of action■ conducting a cost benefit analysis and compare with other solutions.

The steps in assessing costs and benefits are as follows:■ determine the likely scope of the work-life balance option you are considering■ identify the types of costs and benefits associated with this option■ measure or attribute financial values to the costs and benefits where possible. Wherenot possible, describe costs and benefits■ analyse the costs and benefits over the relevant timeframe.As a final step in this process, undertake a quality check on solutions:■ check they are consistent with general work-life balance principles ■ make solutions permissive not prescriptive■ make sure they are not a new set of rigid rules.

3.3 Draft a work-life balance work plan

The plan provides the framework and the steps to be taken to get to the desired goal.This step describes how to develop a work-life balance plan.

For each of the areas of focus and the solutions identified in the previous section, developa work plan that includes:■ the general goal for each area of focus■ objectives and actions within the objectives (ensuring they are SMART)■ responsibilities (clearly identifying the people responsible for implementing work-lifebalance, such as the sponsor, project manager, and line managers with responsibilitywithin their work areas)■ timeframes (including milestones)■ measures (identifying how achievement will be measured and the sort of informationneeded to track progress).

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For example, if one of the areas of focus identified was care for children duringschool holidays, the goal may be something like “To support employees with childcareresponsibilities over school holidays”. The range of possible objectives might coverimplementing a school holiday program in-house, providing information about a rangeof school holiday program near the workplace that could be accessed by staff, orproviding some form of subsidy for such program

In selecting your actions, think carefully about the first steps that could be taken. Choose‘actionable first steps’ where:■ you will get an early win■ there are opinion leaders■ benefits are most likely■ the step is most obviously necessary/relevant■ there is supportive management.

For example, an actionable first step in relation to care for school holiday childrenmight be to collate and communicate information to staff on existing school holidayprograms around the area.

The work-life balance plan would also usefully include:■ resources (including budget)■ risks and risk management■ information in relation to monitoring.Thinking about future monitoring of work-life balance can easily be overlooked at theplanning stage. When developing the work-life balance plan, the organization should askthe following questions:■ Will all activities in the plan be monitored, or only some? What is the basis for thisdecision?■ Will the measures provide the necessary information to make a judgment at the pointof monitoring?■ Is the information required for monitoring easily available or do processes need to beput in place now to ensure that it is available when required?

The information in this section represents a generic approach to planning. Planning forwork-life balance should suit and fit with each organization’s planning processes andorganizational style. Some of the style considerations are:

■ high or low profile■ formal or informal■ centralized or decentralized■ rules, guidelines or frameworks for decision-making.

3.4 Develop a communication strategyA communication strategy is an essential tool when undertaking any change managementprocess. It is human nature to be resistant to change. Work-life balance is no different.There can be resistance based on people’s attitudes that work-life balance does not applyto them, or that some staff get to enjoy work-life balance at the expense of their colleagues.This step discusses what needs to be addressed in developing a communication strategy.A communication strategy for work-life balance aims to demonstrate that all staff have

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work-life balance needs, and to identify the benefits of work-life balance for all staff.It is important to approach communications in a planned way and fit the communicationswithin the overall work-life balance plan.

A comprehensive communication strategy identifies:■ communication objectives■ the different audiences■ the different messages■ the different types of communication tools (it is important to use a range of media)■ timeframes■ ways of knowing that the messages are being heard and what people’s reactions are■ how the success of the communications strategy will be measured.

An organization will pick up all or some of the above. The extent to which it will do thismay depend on the current climate, the perceived need, the degree of change required,or other factors.When developing communications, there is a need for real consultation to understandthe audience and specific target groups. Issues to explore in order to understand theaudience include:■ looking for commonalities and for key triggers for target groups■ understanding the differences in audiences, what their different information needs areand the best ways of communicating with them■ talking to the audience in a way they want to be talked to – using real words for realimpact■ avoiding buy-out by being inclusive and by testing messages.

For example, there may be a need for different messages for staff and managers. Certainlyit will be important that managers do not feel out of the loop, so it will be important totalk to managers early on and keep updating them. New staff, as well as existing staff, willneed to receive work-life balance messages.

There are already many vehicles in any organization for communicating the organizationalapproach and commitment to work-life balance. Review the following to ensure work-lifebalance is included:■ publications, including the Statement of Intent (SOI), strategic plan, operational plans■ website■ job advertisements and job descriptions■ selection processes■ employment agreement and the associated negotiating process■ induction■ internal communications■ manager behaviors and expectations■ performance specifications■ management training and refreshers■ HR policies.

Other handy hints for developing a communication strategy include:■ being careful not to place an over-emphasis on either people or business■ ensuring that the project is not regarded as ‘separate’ from business■ adopting a distinctive style and logo to bring it all together■ giving the issue personal relevance – make it meaningful and connect emotionally with

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the audience■ having ongoing planned communication and constant reminders of action – rememberthat changed behavior is maintained by ‘pulsing messages’■ collecting stories and statistics to use■ developing visible and vocal role models. Get as many advocates and role models aspossible from all levels and areas. Use people with credibility that staff and managersrespect.

There is a risk that the presence of a policy can create the illusion of attention to work-lifebalance. It is what is in ‘hearts and minds’ that is important. A good communicationstrategy can begin to address this with clear and meaningful messages.

3.5 Implement work-life balance policy and planImplementation of work-life balance occurs on two levels – in the implementation ofindividual work-life balance solutions and in the implementation of the work-life balanceplan.Negotiating and agreeing individual work-life balance provisions is generally theprovince of individual line managers, and requires the application of the organization’swork-life balance policy and the application of work-life balance principles (see ChapterTwo).During the implementation phase of the work-life balance plan, each individualundertakes the tasks assigned in the plan, and the person with overall responsibilityprovides leadership, oversees the implementation process (including the communicationstrategy), and monitors progress.Implementation of the work-life balance plan involves remembering to:■ involve staff in roll out – take people with you■ accept that new processes take time■ be flexible and adapt as necessary■ be aware that timeframes can slip out.

For some initiatives in the plan, it may be appropriate to start with a pilot or with test sites.Implementing solutions first in a single test site, or trialing one element of work-lifebalance across the organization, allows the gathering of information to assess whether theplanned initiative will achieve the goal and meet the needs of staff and managers. Pilotingalso allows learning to occur, so that the initiative can be adapted to ensure that when asolution is rolled out across an organization any issues have been resolved. Reporting onthe impact of a pilot initiative can also help secure buy-in from managers.

When looking at piloting a solution, some considerations are:■ the project objectives■ what the organization wants from the pilot■ communication – manage expectations by ensuring it addresses why the pilot is beingdone and when it will reach others■ time for feedback■ a process for intensively evaluating the pilot■ preparedness to cancel, make dramatic changes, replied, or tailor strategies for differentparts of the organization.4444B4alance initiative

4. Evaluate the effectiveness of work life balance initiatives

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4.1 Monitor the work-life balance plan/planned activities4.2 Evaluate the impact of work-life balance initiatives4.3 Plan ongoing monitoring and evaluation of work-life balance policiesand practices

4.1 Monitor the work-life balance plan/planned activitiesThe key focus of this step is to assess the extent to which organizational work-life balancepolicies are being implemented, as well as activities outlined in the work-life balanceplan. Monitoring is principally used internally by an organization to assess whether plannedactivities are occurring. It may also inform external reporting, such as to the State.There are a number of timeframes in which monitoring occurs. Annual monitoring willnormally occur at the end of the financial year, resulting in a report of progress madeagainst planned objectives. For some parts of the work-life balance plan, there may beregular and/or more frequent reporting to senior management, e.g. on the variety andextent of use of flexible work options by staff. It is also possible that monitoring ofspecific aspects of the plan will occur at nominated other times.

Ideally, as part of the development of the work-life balance plan, the aspects of the policyand plan to be monitored have been identified, processes have been put in place to gatherthe necessary information on an ongoing basis, and the measures against which progressor achievement will be assessed will be spelled out. Key questions include:■ Is the plan being regularly monitored?■ Is all the necessary information available?■ Has all the necessary information been gathered?■ What is being achieved in terms of the work-life balance plan?■ What parts of the plan are not being achieved?

4.2 Evaluate the impact of work-life balance initiativesThe key focus of this step is to assess the impact or effectiveness of the organization’swork-life balance policies and practices. Have they been successful in making a positivedifference to staff and for the organization?

The way in which success is defined will vary from organization to organization. In someplaces, staff may report they have more balance in their lives; in others, that they feelthey have more control over how they use their time. The way in which the organizationmeasures success will be derived from its business case (see section 5.1.4), whichoutlines the purpose of its work-life balance plan and the benefits envisaged.In planning any evaluation, it is useful to consider:

■ What questions does the organization want answers to?■ What information does the organization need?■ How will the organization gather this information? Some will be available frommonitoring the work-life balance plan; some may be available from other organizationalsources, e.g. climate surveys, HRMIS systems. Other information may need to begathered specifically for this purpose.■ How is the organization evaluating the information? What are the benchmarks? Thesemay be internal or external:

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■ Internal benchmarks include previous work-life balance surveys of staff, the CareerProgression and Development Surveys 2000 and 2005, or climate surveys.■ External benchmarks include national and international standards in work-lifebalance best practice.■ What did the organisation set out to achieve in regards to work-life balance, asdescribed in the business case?

The overarching questions that the organization will want to address are:

■ What?”, “So what?”, and “Now what?”■ What has been achieved? (Findings)■ So what is the significance of this? What does it mean? How does it rank in terms ofprevious practice and against external measures? (Analysis)■ Now what? What does this suggest for the future of work-life balance in thisorganisation? (Recommendations)A resource to help in evaluating the impact of work-life balance initiatives is:

4.3 Plan ongoing monitoring and evaluation of work-life balancepolicies, practices and benefitsThis step is based on the recognition that effective plans and policies are characterizedby ongoing monitoring and evaluation practices. The results of ongoing monitoring andevaluation are used to feed back into regular organizational review processes, therebysupporting the concept of continuous improvement.There are two main drivers for ongoing monitoring and evaluation of work-life balanceinitiatives:■ quality assurance – where plans are being implemented and are effective■ risk management – where plans are not being implemented and/or are not effective.Where plans are working well, regular monitoring and evaluation provides seniormanagement with assurance that the work-life balance needs of staff are being met.Communicating this information to staff increases both senior management and staffcommitment to work-life balance initiatives. Where regular monitoring and reportingidentifies with problems or concerns with the work-life balance plan, this informationcan be used to inform necessary changes.

Monitoring the work-life balance plan:■ at the beginning of the plan period, identify the timeframe for monitoring (annuallyor other)■ identify those parts of the plan that need to be monitored regularly throughout themonitoring period, and those which can be monitored at the end■ ensure there are processes in place to collect the monitoring information, and they areeasy to use.

Considering the ongoing evaluation of your work-life balance plan:■ plan in advance when, and how often, evaluation of work-life balance in theorganization will occur, e.g. annually, two-yearly, five yearly■ identify in advance the issues the organization is interested in exploring over time.

55555.5 Review needs and strategic ap

5. Review needs and strategic approach

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5.5.1 Re-assess needs (to identify developing needs)5.5.2 Ongoing review of strategic approach to work-life balance

5.1 Re-assess needs

The work-life balance landscape is in a constant state of change, as organizations andthe needs of the individuals within them both change. This step signals a re-evaluationpoint, when the organization reviews and re-evaluates the content of its work-lifebalance plan in accordance with current needs of staff, as well as any emerging needs.

If organizations are not already keeping abreast of current developments and trends inrelation to work-life balance, they are encouraged at this time to undertake an externalscan of emerging work-life balance issues. This will include changes in governmentpolicy in relation to work-life balance and expectations in response to this or newlegislation, or emerging issues or new approaches or responses to better supporting staffto achieve work-life balance.

At this stage, it will also be important to re-assess the current and emerging work-lifebalance needs of staff. This should be done reasonably frequently (at least every twoyears). Work-life balance needs will change through turnover of staff and as staff moveinto different life stages. A re-assessment may also be triggered because of informationfound as part of internal monitoring or evaluation.).

The sorts of questions being explored at this step are:■ Is the current work-life balance plan still relevant, i.e. does it still meet the needs of staff?■ What other emerging needs are there?■ What are some options for how these might be met?

Following this analysis, appropriate changes can be made to the work-life balance planand communicated effectively to staff.

5.2 Ongoing review of strategic approach to work-life balance

This step signals a time for revisiting the way in which the organization understands andapproaches work-life balance, to take into account any change in external factors, e.g.new legislation, as well as internal factors such as restructuring, which may bedemanding a rethink of how the organization approaches work-life balance.A review of the business case should be undertaken at the same time as staff needs arereviewed. The suggestions outlined in section 5.1.4 are also pertinent for this review ofthe business case.

The sorts of questions being explored at this step are:■ Is the current business case still relevant, i.e. does it fit with the organization’s businessstrategy?■ Are external factors placing greater/lesser priority on work-life balance?

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Work-Life Balance of Women’s in India and the United States

Who has it easier when it comes to work-life balance: American professional women or their Indian counterparts?

There is no simple answer to this question. Many of the issues are common to women throughout the global corporate 24x7x365 work world of today: long work hours, challenging schedules, time-consuming commutes, need for childcare and eldercare support systems, the burden of household responsibilities, career path demands vs. family demands, stress-related health problems, and societal attitudes towards women and work. But the specifics differ due to policy, socio-economic, and cultural differences.

Work-Life Balance Policy Differences

Did you know that the United States is weaker in many of its statutory workplace policies for family than most of the other advanced economies and many emerging economies as well? The U.S.A. is one of the few countries in the world that does not have federal laws guaranteeing paid maternity leave, paternity leave, a minimum number of paid sick days a year, or the right to breast-feed a child in the workplace. Nor does the U.S.A. have statutory entitlement to minimum paid holiday leave. Policies on these and other issues differ from state to state and from company to company. By contrast, India has progressive national laws and governmental policies in all these areas. The problem, however, is that the laws are not always rigorously enforced, and implementation is uneven.

India-U.S.A. Socio-Economic Differences

On the plus side for Indian professional women is the availability of low-wage labor. Most middle-class Indian homes have either live-in servants or household help that comes daily to do cleaning, cooking and other household chores. In the United States, this is a luxury available only to the upper-middle class. Another advantage in India is the support of the extended family system, whose network of mutual obligations can provide more practical help than the more atomized and dispersed American family. On the other hand, institutional resources for social welfare needs such as child care and elder care are more extensive in the U.S., infrastructure for commuting and flex-work arrangements is more advanced, and both food preparation and house cleaning are more mechanized.

American and Indian Cultural Attitudes

The area in which the largest gap exists between the United States and India is in cultural attitudes about gender based work and family roles. Indian women have made enormous progress in higher education enrollment, workforce participation, and career advancement within recent years, and many cultural attitudes are catching up with this new reality. For

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example, family objections to married women or young mothers working outside the home are diminishing. But attitudes towards the fundamental gender inequity that exists when it comes to housework, childcare and eldercare responsibilities (women’s “second shift”) have not changed significantly. The anecdotal stories one hears from Indian women about work-life balance issues circle around this cultural attitude but seldom directly challenge it.

 

In the U.S.A, the women’s movement of the 1960s and 1970s challenged male privilege in this intimate home arena as well as at work, several generations of women struggled at a very personal level to develop more egalitarian marriages, and boys and girls are now increasingly brought up to think of themselves as equal in both aspirations and responsibilities. The two-bread-winner family may have become the norm in the U.S. primarily for economic reasons, but attitudes towards sharing housework, childcare and eldercare have also undergone a fundamental cultural change.

 

This change is by no means complete. Behaviors have not fully caught up with attitudes, and women in the U.SA. still bear substantially more of the burden of household and children than do men. But the degree to which cultural attitudes towards gender roles in the family and the home have changed is remarkable.

 

Every five years since 1977, the Families and Work Institute comes out with a major study of national workforce trends in the U.S. In the most recent report (2008), we learn that a substantial shift in gender roles has occurred in the U.S. for all workforce generations (Matures, Boomers, Gen X, Millennials) since 1998. Attitudes about employed women and mothering have shifted, and fathers are spending more time with their children and taking more overall responsibility for childcare and housework. We also learn, not surprisingly, that work-life conflict has increased significantly for men as well, and that companies therefore cannot assume traditional gender roles in developing family-friendly policies to help their employees succeed both at work and at home.

 

So who has it easier? In India and the United States, as elsewhere, work-life balance continues to be a challenge for women, in similar as well as different ways, and progress needs to be made for the sake of women themselves and the society as a whole. Women need to keep pushing for change at work, in society and in their families, step by incremental step, each doing what she can in the specifics of her country’s policy, socio-economic and cultural context.

 

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WORK LIFE BALANCE AND WOMEN EMPLOYEES IN HIGHER EDUCATION SECTOR.

Discrimination against women in universities

It is noted that women teachers are subjugated in the academy. To protect their career, they resort to “discrimination avoidance” because universities often give value to professors who put aside their personal commitments for the sake of the academic institution. They avoid falling prey to such bias by engaging in:

1. Productive behaviors which lead to enhanced teaching performance. For instance, there are female professors who delay marriage or motherhood because doing so will disrupt their focus from getting promoted; and

2. Unproductive behaviors which disrupt teaching, such as when women teachers file for sick leave to care for an ill parent, partner, or child.

The discrimination in universities exists due to:

Bias acceptance

This is reflected in penalties when certain teaching tasks are sacrificed for family or personal life responsibilities.

Daddy privilege

This rewards male teachers who still work in spite of dealing with family commitments, while women's care giving priorities are taken against them.

Bias resistance

This refers to behaviors which oppose or protest gender bias in the workplace by “...switching time and effort away from work and towards family, making commitments to family explicit in the workplace, or pressing for policy innovations which facilitate dual commitments to work and family.”

Work-Life Balance in Educational organizations (According to Nigel Marsh)

Implementing gender-sensitive policies in the academy

Educational organizations need to recognize college teachers as people who have a life outside the academe. It is important that universities implement a gender-sensitive employment policy which allows both teaching and non-teaching employees to manage their priorities and to minimize, if not avoid, stress caused by paid work and personal life demands.

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A gender-sensitive policy is a rights-based policy. Ideally, all organizations should treat their workers fairly and humanely. All employees have the right to work in an environment which preserves their dignity as an individual whose personal needs should also be satisfied.

Some Practices of a Gender-Sensitive Workplace

The Importance of Gender-Fair Language

The traditional standard of expressing ideas - either verbally or written - emphasizes the use of masculine nouns and pronouns. This suggests then that a gender-sensitive organization views equality between men and women as an integral component of the work environment; thus, it prefers to use a gender-fair language.

Adopting a gender-sensitive language requires the use of words that make women "visible" in business policies, correspondences, presentations, and training programs, among others. The use of gendered nouns (for instance, using "Ms." to address a woman regardless of her civil status), as well as the use of "she or he" or "she/he" and the elimination of gendered pronouns in sentences are some of the steps to make workplace communication gender-neutral .

Resources for Institutionalizing Gender-Responsive Units

Aside from language, the existence of a committee, an office, or a center that will initiate and oversee gender-related activities indicates a significant degree of gender-fair treatment towards employees.

Sex-aggregated data and anti-discrimination policy

Another indicator is ensuring that all university-related data are aggregated by sex or have a gender component. For instance, with regard to university benefits, how many men and women employees have availed of certain privileges, such as housing assistance, tuition discounts, scholarships, vacation leave, etc.

Moreover, having a no discrimination policy is crucial in creating a gender sensitive workplace. Most, if not all, universities in the United States and in other countries post this policy on their websites, especially in recruiting personnel for vacant positions.

The Struggle towards a Gender-Sensitive Academe

In spite of these feats, gender discrimination still exists not just in the university setting but in many other organizations as well. Many state governments have participated in international conventions, to promote gender rights.

The journey is far from over, however. Undoubtedly, gender equality remains a formidable challenge not only to women, but to men as well within and outside the university walls.

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Title of the study – Work- life balance among women employees in higher education sector.

Objectives of the study:

To study the Work life balance among women employees in higher education sector in Kota city.

To provide ways to facilitate work life balance.

Hypothesis Testing

Chi-square test will be used when the set of observed frequencies obtained after experimentation have to be supported by hypothesis or theory. The test is known as X-test of goodness to fit and is used to test if the deviation between observation and theory may be attributed to chance (fluctuation of sampling). X also enables us to explain whether or not two attributes are associated or related to each other.

1. The relationship between the age of the respondent and their ability to balance work life .

Ho: The relationship between the age of the respondent and their ability to balance work life is significant.

H1: The relationship between the age of the respondent and their ability to balance work life is not significant.

2. The relationship between the family support of the respondent and their ability to balance work life.

Ho: The relationship between the family support of the respondent and their ability to balance work life is significant.

H1: The relationship between the family support of the respondent and their ability to balance work life is not significant.

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Research Design

Research Type Exploratory Research

Universe The universe of the study comprises of all the women employees in higher education sector.

Sample unit - women employees in higher education sector.

Sample Size- 50 women employees

Sample type - Convenient Sampling.

Data Purpose

Data has been analyzed into three major classes:

1. Age: Age is an Important Factor in work-Life balance, Hence the respondents have been grouped under three categories viz:

23- 30 Years

31- 40 Years

Above 40 Years

2. Family support: Family support is very important factor in work-Life balance, hence it have been classified into two categories viz:

Family support provided

Family support not provided

.Sources of Data collection:

Primary Sources It involves the use of following method:

1) Questionnaires 2) Interview Method:

Secondary sources: Websites

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Magazines and journals

Data analysis

The data is analyzed on the basis of suitable tables taken by using following mathematical techniques:

Pie-charts

Percentage analysis

Chi-Square test

It is applied to test the goodness to fit, to verify the distribution of observed data with assumed theoretical distribution.

Therefore, it is a measure to study the divergence of actual and expected frequencies. Karl Pearson has developed a method to test the difference between the theoretical and the observed data.

Chi-square test(X2) = (O-E) 2/E

Degree of freedom=V=(R-1)(C-1)

Where,

O= Observed Frequency

E= Expected Frequency

R= Number of rows

Limitations of The study

Time constraints - There was limited time and lots of task were to be performed.

So I conducted my survey only on 50 women employees of various colleges.

Time Consuming - Contacting employees and waiting to get the questionnaire

filled by them was a time consuming process.

Convincing people – Convincing employees to fill the questionnaire honestly was a tough task. I had to assure them that their responses will be kept confidential.

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DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

1) NO. Of women employees married.

Responses No. Of Employees. %

a) Yes.

b) No.

40

10

80

20

Total 50 100

If yes, have children

Responses No. Of Employees. %

a) Yes.

b) No.

24

16

60

40

Total 40 100

Being an employed woman who is helping them to take care of their children.

Responses No. Of Employees. %

a) Spouse

b) In-laws

c) Parents

d) Servants

e) Creche

f) Combination of some of the above

3

8

2

-

2

9

13

33

8

-

8

38

Total 24 100

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Spouse13%

In-laws33%

Parents8%

Creche8%

Combination of some of the

above38%

% of Women employees

ANALYSIS – Out of the total sample , 80% of the women employees are married , out of which 60% have children. Out of those who have children , 33 % agreed that only their in-laws help them in taking care of their children, 13% told that only spouse help them , 8% told that only their parents help them, 8% told that they depend on crèches and 38% of them said that their children are taken care by either their spouse, parents and in-laws or their In-laws, parents and servants or their parents, spouse and servants.

INTERPRETATION- From the above analysis we can interpret that most of the employed women get help from their in-laws to take care of their children which means that still the joint family system is prevalent in the Indian society.Spouse of some employed women also help in taking care of the children. Now-a-days men want more time to spend with their children. Both men and women work and tend to the houseSome of the employed women receive help from their parents to take care of their children while very few of them depend on creches and servants.This reveals that the situation is entirely different from that of foreign countries where an increasing number of young children are being raised by a childcare provider or another person other than a parent. In India creches have gained popularity in big cities only.

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2) Women employees take care of:

Responses No. Of Employees. %

a) Older people

b) Dependent adults

c) Adults with disability

d) Children with disability

e) None

20

12

0

0

18

40

24

0

0

36

Total 50 100

Older people

40%

Dependent adults24%

None36%

% of Women employees

ANALYSIS – In this case 64% employees told that they have to take care of other members of the family too. 40% employees have to devote their time in taking care of older people and 24% employees take care of dependent adults of their family.

INTERPRETATION – Here we can interpret that personal life of working women can be more demanding if they have ageing parents or in-laws or any other dependent adults in their family, financial problems or even problems in the life of a dear relative .It can lead to absenteeism from work, creating stress and lack of concentration at work. They have to manage time for completing their household chores somehow.They are pulled in so many directions they don’t accomplish much and are left with feelings of frustration and guilt.

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3) Women employees think or worry about work when they are not actually at work or traveling to work.

Responses No. Of Employees. %

a) Never

b) Rarely

c) Sometimes

d) Often

e) Always

4

12

20

9

5

8

24

40

18

10

Total 50 100

Never8%

Rarely24%

Some-times40%

Often18%

Always10%

% Of Women Employees

ANALYSIS – In this case I found that majority of the women employees i.e.. 68% worry about work (when they are not actually at work or traveling to work). Rest 32% employees never or rarely worries about their work.

INTERPRETATION - Here we can interpret that most of the employed women in higher education sector sometimes, often or always worry about their work when they are not actually at work or traveling to work. They take their work at home as well .It may be preparing study material for their lectures.Even at their home they have to think or preplan their work.

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4.) Women employees think or worry about family during the working hours.

Never8%

Rarely24%

Sometimes40%

Often18%

Always10%

% Of Women Employees

ANALYSIS – In this case I found that majority of the women employees i.e.. 68% worry about family during the working hours. Rest 32% employees never or rarely worries about their familly.

INTERPRETATION - Here we can interpret that most of the employed women in higher education sector sometimes, often or always worry about their family when they are at work or traveling to work.

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5) women employees feel about the amount of time they spend at work.

Responses No. Of Employees. %

a) Very unhappy

b) Unhappy

c) Indifferent

d) Happy

e) Very happy

0

7

7

23

13

0

14

14

46

26

Total 50 100

Unhappy19%

Indifferent19%Happy

62%

% of Women employees

ANALYSIS – In this case I found that majority of the women employees i.e..72% feel happy or very happy when they are at work. 14% feel unhappy when they are at work and 14% are indifferent.

INTERPRETATION - Here we can interpret that most of the employed women are satisfied with their personal and professional life and feel happy or very happy when they are at work. They maintain work life balance.While there are some women who are unhappy with their professional life. They find it difficult to cope with their demanding personal and professional life.

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6) women employees miss any quality time with their family or friends because of pressure of work.

Responses No. Of Employees. %

a) Never

b) Rarely

c) Sometimes

d) Often

e) Always

6

14

26

4

0

12

28

52

8

0

Total 50 100

Never12%

Rarely28%Sometimes

52%

Often8%

% of women employees

ANALYSIS- In this case 60% of the women employees feel that they miss out quality time with their friends or family because of pressure of work while 28% rarely misses and 12%never misses.

INTERPRETATION - Here we can interpret that most of the employed women feel that they miss out quality time with their family because of their office work. Extra working hours consume their family time. Missing out an important family event may create friction and harm relationships with their loved ones.They need to learn how to establish boundaries between work and home.7) Factors hinder in balancing work and family commitments.

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Responses No. Of Employees. %

a) Long working hours

b) Compulsory overtime

c) Shift work

d) Meetings/training after office hours

e) None

20

3

3

16

8

40

6

6

32

16

Total 50 100

Long working hours40%

Compulsory overtime6%Shift work

6%

Meetings/ training after office32%

None16%

% Of women Employees

ANALYSIS- Here 40% of the women employees said that long working hours hinder them in balancing their family and work commitments ,32% said that meetings or training after office hinder them ,6% said that shift work creates problem for them. While 16% said that none of these hinder them in balancing their work and family commitments.

INTERPRETATION - Here very few of the employed women told that none of the given options hinder them in balancing their work and family commitments.But many of them told that meetings / training after office , long working hours and sometimes overtime and shift work make them feel tired . It adversely affects their ability to think and slows down their physical coordination with work making them more prone to mistakes.8) women employees suffer from any stress-related disease.

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Responses No. Of Employees. %

a) Hypertension

b) Obesity

c) Backache

d) Headaches

e) None

f) Combination of some of the above

-

2

2

10

34

2

-

4

4

20

68

4

Total 50 100

Obesity4%

Backache4%Headache

20%

None68%

Combination of some of the above4%

% Of women Employees

ANALYSIS – In this case I found that 68% of the women employees do not suffer from any stress-related diseases while 20% suffer from headaches, 4% from backache, 4% from obesity and 4% from both hypertension and headache.

INTERPRETATION - Here we can interpret that most of the employed women do not suffer from any stress-related disease but about 32% women suffer from hypertension or headache. Overburdened and overstressed women employees are more likely to get sick and have high absentee rates.Good life-management skills are essential to help reduce stress.9) women employees manage stress arising from work by:

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Responses No. Of Employees. %

a) Yoga

b) Meditation

c) Entertainment (T.V.)

d) Dance

e) Music

f) Others (By taking rest, net surfing, Phone calls, involving in family)

g) Combination of some of the above.

2

2

6

4

16

7

13

4

4

12

8

32

14

26

Total 50 100

Yoga5% Meditation

5%

Tv16%

Dance11%

Music43%

Others19%

% oF Women Employees

ANAYSIS- Here I found that majority of the women employees..i.e.32% manage their stress arising from work with the help of music only, 14% by taking rest or net surfing or phone calls or involving in family , 12% employees by watchingT.V , 8% employees by dance , 4% employees by yoga , 4% employees take help of meditation and rest 26% take help of combination of some of these ways to overcome stress.

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INTERPRETATION - Here we can interpret that most of the employed women unwind after a hectic workday by listening to music, chatting with friends/relatives , sleeping, watching tv. or by engaging themselves in their hobbies like dancing. Music is an effective stress reducer in both healthy individuals and people with health problems.

Very few of them practice yoga and meditation though it’s a unique gift to the world. Yoga and meditation strengthen body and mind providing mental peace and physical power, helps to fight disease and live longer and healthier.

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10) Organization have a separate policy for work-life balance.

Responses No. Of Employees. %

a) Yes.

b) No.

c) Not aware

16

30

4

32

60

8

Total 50 100

If, yes what are the provisions under the policy?

Responses No. Of Employees. %

a) Flexible starting time

b) Flexible ending time

c) Flexible hours in general

d) Holidays/ paid time-off

e) Job sharing

f) Combination of some of the above

-

2

4

7

1

2

-

13

25

43

6

13

Total 50 100

70

Flexible ending time13%

Flexible hours in general

25%Holidays/ Paid time-off

43%

Job sharing6%

Combination of some of the above13%

% Of women employees

Analysis- From the above table it is clear that only 60% women employees told that their company does not have a separate policy for work-life balance. 8% were not aware about any such provision in their company, reason may be that these employees were new in the institute.Rest 32% women told that their company have policies to maintain work-life balance of their employees.43% institutes provide holidays/paid time-off to their women employees, 25% institutes provide flexible hours in general, 13%provide flexible-ending time ,6% institutes have job sharing provision and 13% provides combination of the above provisions to their employees.

Interpretation- Here we can interpret that some organizations have started implementing flexible work options as it encourages employees to be more productive and committed to the company.But in case of Udaipur very few educational institutes provide flexi-time or holidays to their women employees when they need.

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11) Organization encourage the involvement of family members in work- achievement reward functions

Responses No. Of Employees. %

a) Yes.

b) No.

0

50

0

100

Total 50 100

No100%

% Of Women Employees

Analysis- From the above table it is clear that no organization involves family members in work- achievement reward functions of their employees.

Interpretation- There is hardly any educational institute in Udaipur which involves family members of their employees in work-achievement reward functions.Educational institutes are lacking such kind of motivational programmes though some of them are planning to implement it in future. Awareness is needed to implement such programmes.

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12. Chi Square analysis

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGE AND ABILITY TO BALANCE WORK-LIFE

a.) Observed frequency for age group and ability to balance work life

S.No Age(in years) Work life balance TotalAble to balance

Unable to balance

1. 23-30 Years 8 5 132. 31-40 Years 10 9 193. Above 40

Years9 9 18

Total 27 23 50

b.) Calculation of expected Frequency for age group and ability to balance work life

Chi-square value:

E= RT * CT/N

Where,

E= Expected frequency

RT= The row total for the row containing the cell

CT= The Column total for the column containing the cell

C.) Chi-square test is conducted to extent relationship between the age of the respondent and their ability to balance work life. Ho: The relationship between the age of the respondent and their ability to balance work life is significant.

H1: The relationship between the age of the respondent and their ability to balance work life is not significant.

O E O-E (O-E)2 (O-E)2/E8 7.02 .98 .96 .1365 5.98 -.98 .96 .161

10 10.28 -.28 0.07 .0069 8.74 .26 .06 .0069 9.72 -.72 .51 .0529 8.28 .72 .51 .061

Total .422

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Calculated value=.422

Table value(@5%)=5.991

Working note:V = Degree of freedom,V = (r-1)(c-1) = (3-1)(2-1) = 2V = 2,

Inference:

The calculated value of X is less than the table value, Hence the null hypothesis is accepted. As the calculated chi-square value (.422) is less than the tabulated value (5.991) at 5%level of significance for 2 degree of freedom, the null hypothesis is accepted. Hence it could be concluded that the relationship between the age of female respondent and their ability to balance work-life balance is statistically significant.

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13. Chi Square analysis

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAMILY SUPPORT AND ABILITY TO BALANCE WORK-LIFE

a.) Observed frequency for family support and ability to balance work life

S.No Family Support )

Work life balance Total

Able to balance

Unable to balance

1. Family support provided

25 10 35

2. Family support not provided

10 5 15

35 15 50

b.) Calculation of expected Frequency for family support and ability to balance work life

Chi-square value:

E= RT* CT/N

Where,

E= Expected frequency

RT= The row total for the row containing the cell

CT= The Column row total for the column containing the cell

C.) Chi-square test is conducted to extent relationship between family support of the respondent and their ability to balance work life.

Ho: The relationship between the family support of the respondent and their ability to balance work life is not significant.

H1: The relationship between the family support of the respondent and their ability to balance work life is significant.

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O E O-E (O-E)2 (O-E)2/E25 24.5 .5 .25 .01010 10.5 -.5 .25 .02310 10.5 -.5 .25 .0235 4.5 .5 .25 .010

Total .066

Calculated value=.066

Table value(@5%)=5.991

Working note:V = Degree of freedom,V = (r-1)(c-1) = (3-1)(2-1) = 2V = 2, Inference:

The calculated value of is less than the table value, Hence the null hypothesis is accepted. As the calculated chi-square value (.066) is less than the tabulated value (5.991) at 5%level of significance for 2 degree of freedom, the null hypothesis is accepted. Hence it could be concluded that the relationship between the family support of the female respondent and their ability to balance work-life balance is statistically significant.

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FINDINGS

Through this live research project I came to know that majority of the employed women i.e..72% are satisfied with their personal and professional life and feel happy or very happy when they are at work. They maintain work life balance.

While there are some women (28%) who are unhappy with their professional life. They find it difficult to cope with their demanding personal and professional life and thus struggles to maintain work life balance.

The reasons for the satisfaction of majority of the employed women in higher education sector are :

These employed women are helped by their in-laws , spouse and parents to take care of their children, It means that still the joint family system is prevalent in the Indian society.Now-a-days men want more time to spend with their children. Both men and women work and tend to the house.

Majority of the employed women knows how to establish boundaries between work and home.They consider their job as less hectic. They do not find themselves over-burdened or over-stressed.

Employed women manages their stress by listening to music, chatting with friends/relatives , sleeping, watching tv. or by engaging themselves in their hobbies like dancing.Very few of them practice yoga and meditation.

Some of the institutes have policies to maintain work-life balance of their employees. They have provisions like flexible starting time, flexible ending time, flexible hours in general , holidays/ paid time-off and job sharing .

Factors creating struggle to maintain work life balance are :

No facility for child-care by the employer – Thus an increasing number of young children are being raised by a childcare provider or another person other than a parent; older children are more likely today to come home to an empty house and spend time with video games, television and the internet with less guidance to offset or control the messages coming from these sources.

Very few of them depend on creches and servants.This reveals that the situation is entirely different from that of foreign countries where an increasing number of young children are being raised by a childcare provider.

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Family requirements -Many of the women employees told that they have to take care of other members of the family too. Personal life of such working women is more demanding. It can lead to absenteeism from work, creating stress and lack of concentration at work. They have to manage time for completing their household chores somehow.

They are pulled in so many directions they don’t accomplish much and are left with feelings of frustration and guilt.

Most of the employed women sometimes, often or always worry about their work when they are not actually at work or traveling to work. They take their work at home as well .It may be preparing study material for their lectures.Even at their home they have to think or preplan their work.

Work loads- . It adversely affects their ability to think and slows down their physical coordination with work making them more prone to mistakes.

Most of the employed women feel that they miss out quality time with their family because of their office work. Extra working hours consume their family time. Missing out an important family event may create friction and harm relationships with their loved ones.

Physical discomfort –Some employed women suffer from hypertension or headsache. Overburdened and overstressed women employees are more likely to get sick and have high absentee rates.

In Kota, very few educational institutes provide flexi-time or holidays to their women employees when they need.

There is hardly any educational institute in Udaipur which involves family members of their employees in work-achievement reward functions.Educational institutes are lacking such kind of motivational programmes though some of them are planning to implement it in future

CONCLUSION

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At last, I conclude that majority of the employed women ( i.e..72%) are satisfied with their personal and professional life and feel happy or very happy when they are at work. They maintain work life balance.

But some of the employed women (ie..28%) struggles to maintain work life balance.

Conclusion for working women- getting caught in the work/life balance trap will continue to be an ongoing challenge. Careful planning and personal effort is the advice from those who have found balance in both career and home life. Good life-management skills are essential to help them.

Efforts are needed from their employer’s side also.

SUGGESTIONS :

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Tips for Women Managing Work and Home :

14. Plan: It's always a good idea to plan out your schedule for the next day to make the most of your time. Remember to not only fill it with work but also non-work commitments like time for family, housework, sleeping and to do something enjoyable. Treat non-work commitments as seriously as you treat working commitments.

15. Say "No": Work-life balance cannot be successful without effective priority setting. You can easily commit more time than you have by not able to refuse new responsibilities, favors, or even casual requests. Make a point to seriously consider each request that comes your way and respectfully say "no" to the things that matter least. Saying "no" is easier than disappointing yourself and the other person when you won't be able to do well because you're too overwhelmed.

16. Increase effective time at work: Many people spend long hours at work without knowing the effective time they spend actually working. If you are one of them then spend a week tracking everything you do and the amount of time you spend on them, including work-related and personal activities. At the end of the week, you'll be surprised to know the amount of time you are spending on activities (like checking the email many times a day) which are not essential to completing your high impact work. By reducing the amount of time you spend on such activities, you can accomplish the same work by spending less time in office.

17. Leave work at work: The boundary between work and home is fast disappearing, thanks to the technology to connect to anyone at any time from anywhere. This means we are not only working from home (even after spending the whole day at work) but also bringing the work-related stress home. This can be detrimental to your relationship with your child or significant other. You need to make a conscious decision to separate work time from personal time. Turn off your cell phone and put away your laptop computer, when you are with your family.

18. Take vacations: Take all the vacation you are allotted otherwise you will be facing a burnout. A healthy work life balance involves taking some days off from the office.

19. Work from home: Some offices do allow you to work from home. This way you can take some time out for a home cooked lunch, or help out with the home chores and work simultaneously. This also allows for more time with the family. Some offices also offer other flexibilities like flexible working hours or a compressed workweek. These can give you more control over your hours.

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20. Exercise: Exercise is a sure-fire way to get your mind off of work. Even a half hour of moderate exercise will give you energy and give you the power to face the day. Doing exercises each day enlivens you and gives you the spirit and resourcefulness to do your best.

21. Diet: Eat a nutritious diet with plenty of water. Fast food, while a convenient time saver, can lead to weight and health problems. The health problems will further complicate your work life balance.

22. Relax: Without proper sleep, you aren't able to properly function. So take time to relax yourself by getting at least 8 hours of sleep. You can also use meditation and yoga to relax yourself.

23. Avoid procrastination: Learn to set more realistic goals and deadlines and then stick to them. Manage your time efficiently. Don't put off working on a project until the last minute; get things done when they are required to be done.

24. Develop a support system: A strong support system in the form of a trusted friend or co-worker can help you withstand pressures that you may experience in your life. When a family conflict arise, they can cover for you at work and when you need to work overtime or travel for work, they can pitch in with household responsibilities or child care.

25. Avoid Guilt: No need to feel awful about not being perfect. There's no balance without give and take. So be flexible when you can, and avoid guilt if you don't match up to the expectations.

26. Simplify: Life tends to get pretty complex, especially for people trying to balance so many demands. Live simply, expect less and give more.

Many people today are too busy making a living that they don't have time to make a life. Start setting yourself apart from the competition today!

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Employers can facilitate WORK LIFE BALANCE with many schemes that can attract women employees and satisfy their needs.Some of these are:

* Facilities for child care * Financial planning services for employees who need them* Flexi-timings * Work sharing * Part time employment * Leave plans - both paid and unpaid - to suit employee's needs* Subsidized food plans* Insurance plans * Counseling services for problems like managing work and the home* Rest rooms, food preparation services* Jobs with autonomy and flexibility * Realistic work loads * Review of work processes to see if the burden on employees can be lightened.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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To make my report effective and reliable, I used these references:-

Books:

Hattery. A. Women, work and family: balancing and weaving Sage

Lewis, Jane. Work-family balance, gender and policy Edward Elgar,

2009.

Emslie, Carol. & Hunt, Kate. (2009) 'Live to Work' or 'Work to Live'? A

Qualitative Study of Gender and Work–life Balance among Men and

Women

Magazines :

Business world

Newspaper:

Times of India

Business Standard

Websites :

www.speedupyourlife.com http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work–life_balance http://www.citeman.com/2455-work-life-balance/  http://www.indianmba.com/Occasional_Papers/OP183/op183.html

WORK-LIFE BALANCE QUESTIONNAIRE

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Personal Details:-

Name: 

Age:

Designation:

Work experience:

1) Are you married ?a) Yes b) No Do you have children?a) Yes, no. of children____________. b) No

Being an employed woman who is helping you to take care of your children?a) Spouse b) In-lawsc) Parents d) Servantse) Crèche/day care centers.

2) Do you take care of?a) Older people b) Dependent adultsc) Adults with disabilities d) Children with disabilitiese) none.

3) How often do you think or worry about work (when you are not actually at work or traveling to work)?a) Never think about work b) Rarelyc) Sometimes d) Oftene) Always

4) How often do you think or worry about family during your working hours.a) Never think about work b) Rarelyc) Sometimes d) Oftene) Always

5) How do you feel about the amount of time you spend at work?

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a) Very unhappy b) Unhappyc) Indifferent d) Happye) Very happy

6) Do you ever miss out any quality time with your family or your friends because of pressure of work?a) Never b) Rarelyc) Sometimes d) Oftene) Always

7) Do any of the following hinder you in balancing your work and family commitments?a) Long working hours b) Compulsory overtimec) Shift work d) meetings/training after office hourse) None

8) Do you suffer from any stress-related disease?a) hypertension b) obesityc) backache d) frequent headachese) none f) Others, specify______.

9) How do you manage stress arising from your work?a) Yoga b) Meditationc) Entertainment d) Dancee) Music f) Others, specify_________.

10) Does your organization have a separate policy for work-life balance?a) Yes b) Noc) Not aware

If, yes what are the provisions under the policy?a) Flexible starting time b) Flexible ending timec) Flexible hours in general d) Holidays/ paid time-offe) Job sharing f) Others, specify________

11) Does your organization encourage the involvement of your family members in work- achievement reward functions?a) Yes, specify the name of such program Annual Day________b) No.

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